The Netherlands' oldest city — Roman Ulpia Noviomagus and the Waal River
Nijmegen holds the title of the Netherlands' oldest city, with continuous settlement since 7 BCE when the Romans built a camp on the Valkhof heights above the Waal River. The rebuilt Valkhof Chapel (the Carolingian-era octagonal chapel and a Romanesque apse survive) overlooks the river where Emperor Charlemagne had his palatial residence. Today Nijmegen is a young, lively university city known for the annual Four Days Marches (Vierdaagse) — the world's largest multi-day walking event — and a vibrant café culture along the Kelfkensbos waterfront.
Nijmegen was the Roman settlement of Ulpia Noviomagus Batavorum, an important legionary base and the only Roman city in the modern Netherlands. It later became a Carolingian imperial palace — Charlemagne frequently stayed here and held imperial assemblies on the Valkhof. The medieval city prospered as a member of the Hanseatic League. In WWII the city was accidentally bombed by American aircraft in 1944, and the Battle of Arnhem-Nijmegen (Operation Market Garden) saw fierce fighting on and around the Waal bridges. The annual Four Days Marches began in 1909 and now draw 45,000 walkers from 70…