Nijmegen is a historic town in the center of which the medieval buildings of the town hall and the town's weight standing by the vast market square have been preserved. Due to the war damage, a large part of the city has a contemporary character, but tourists are also attracted by interesting museums.
In the 1st century AD in the place of today's Nijmegen there was a Roman settlement. For this reason, the city is considered to be one of the oldest in the Netherlands. In the Middle Ages it was an important trade and craft center. Unfortunately, a large part of the buildings were destroyed during Operation Market Garden in 1944 as a result of artillery fire. After the war, Nijmegen gained a new urban layout, and a small part of the old town in the center was rebuilt.
The heart of Nijmegen is the Grote Markt, which is now surrounded by both historic and contemporary buildings. The biggest attractions of this part of Nijmegen include the Old Town Hall, the city weight building - Butterwaag and the 13th-century church of St. Stephen. There are also fragments of medieval fortifications, including the Powder Tower.
When visiting Nijmegen, you cannot miss the local museums. The biggest attraction here is the museum het Valkhof Nijmegen, which presents the remains of a palace built during the times of Charlemagne. The newest monument of the city is De Bastei - the Center of Nature and Cultural History in Nijmegen and its surroundings, which presents the history and nature of the region in a modern, interactive form. You can also visit the Velorama National Bicycle Museum and the Van 't Lindenhout Museum in the former church.
