"The Oldest City in the Netherlands " a Nijmegen Travel Page by caoimhin

Nijmegen, celebrated its 2000th anniversary in 2005, which makes it the oldest city in the Netherlands. Built on it's range of hills on the banks of the Waal just 10 kilometers from the German border, the city probably owes its existence to that very border. For its original name, 'Noviomagus' meaning 'new market', describes a market sprung up around a Roman army camp. A camp that would be there because of the splendid strategic views over the Waal and Rhine valley.

At the end of the 8th century, emperor Charlemagne appoints Numaga to be his northernmost place of residence, and orders the building of a palace or 'palts' on the Valkhof hill. Nijmegen was given city rights by Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor. In 1247, the city was ceded to the count of Guelders as collateral for a loan. The loan was never repaid, and Nijmegen has been a part of Gelderland ever since.

Being a Dutch city, Nijmegen is of course squeaky clean and ruled by cyclists. But its real beauty lies in the rich tapestry of medieval and modern architecture the city has become since its devastation in the combat for Germany’s western border at the end of WWII. In fact, Nijmegen received the Europa Nostra Award, an international award for architecture for the exceptional way in which this project was executed.

One elegant solution was the realisation of the Mariënburg: a new cultural quarter and a shopping route with many splendid façades. The public library and municipal archives are also located here. LUX houses a cinema and theatre complex and simultaneously functions as a city gate and entrance to the new triangular square.

Nijmegen is probably most famous for the International Four Day March Nijmegen (Dutch: Internationale Vierdaagse Afstandsmarsen Nijmegen, informally Nijmeegse Vierdaagse), an annual event starting on the third Tuesday in July, comprising four days of walking (distances ranging from 30 to 50 km a day), and the accompanying festivities, which have been drawing the largest crowds for any Dutch event in the past few years.

The event invites WWII allied veterans to help celebrate their participation in the liberation of the Netherlands from German occupation. Participants from Britain, Canada, the USA, Australia and New Zealand have attended the event. These days, the event is international, with teams from all over the world attending.