Valkhof

Nijmegen, Netherlands

The Valkhof is on a hill overlooking the river. It is the site of a former Charlemagne fortification and the surviving Carolingian elements are quite modest. There are two buildings with a Carolingian element. The first is an octogon chapel built in the style of Aachen in the 8th or 9th century. The initial building was constructed about 1000 and rebuilt about 1400. It used material from Charlemagne's fortification and we think we could identify some of these Caroilingian flat bricks. The second building is the ruin of Barbarossa's chapel that incorporated several Carolingian capitals on Roman pilars in the chapel.

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Address

Lange Baan 2, Nijmegen, Netherlands
See all sites in Nijmegen

Details

Founded: c. 1000 AD
Category: Religious sites in Netherlands

More Information

home.eckerd.edu
www.guideholland.com

Rating

4/5 (based on Google user reviews)

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User Reviews

Robbert Gommans (8 months ago)
One of the more famous Nijmegen Museums, focuses on art and historical findings. Has very interesting changing collections sometimes. Especially interesting to find out more about the (Roman) history of the city.
Simon (9 months ago)
Really nice local museum. Beautiful light modern architecture. They have some stuff about the Roman history of the city, some medieval things, some temporary exhibitions, and something cool for children. The descriptions are mostly in Dutch and German. They serve proper espresso. The people working there were very friendly.
2dkayak (9 months ago)
Order of the display could improve to accommodate the large number of people visiting the Maria van Gelre exhibit.
Mariska Groen (10 months ago)
Lovely bright museum showing the exhibition ‘Maria van Gelre’, a surprising insight in 1400s government, church connected by art, guided by the prayerbook of an extraordinary powerful woman. Parking garage next door and easy to be combined with a town visit
Hans Pille (11 months ago)
Amazing special exhibitions. The Maria van Gelre prayer book (end 2018) is excellent.
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Pierre d'Amboise unsuccessfully rebelled against King Louis XI and his property was confiscated, and the castle was dismantled on royal order in 1465. It was later rebuilt by Charles I d'Amboise from 1465–1475 and then finished by his son, Charles II d'Amboise de Chaumont from 1498–1510, with help from his uncle, Cardinal Georges d'Amboise; some Renaissance features were to be seen in buildings that retained their overall medieval appearance. The château was acquired by Catherine de Medici in 1550. There she entertained numerous astrologers, among them Nostradamus. When her husband, Henry II, died in 1559 she forced his mistress, Diane de Poitiers, to exchange Château de Chaumont for Château de Chenonceau which Henry had given to de Poitiers. Diane de Poitiers only lived at Chaumont for a short while.

Later Chaumont has changed hands several times. Paul de Beauvilliers bought the château in 1699, modernized some of its interiors and decorated it with sufficient grandeur to house the duc d'Anjou on his way to become king of Spain in 1700. Monsieur Bertin demolished the north wing to open the house towards the river view in the modern fashion.

In 1750, Jacques-Donatien Le Ray purchased the castle as a country home where he established a glassmaking and pottery factory. He was considered the French "Father of the American Revolution" because he loved America. However, in 1789, the new French Revolutionary Government seized Le Ray's assets, including his beloved Château de Chaumont.

The castle has been classified as a Monument historique since 1840 by the French Ministry of Culture. The Château de Chaumont is currently a museum and every year hosts a Garden Festival from April to October where contemporary garden designers display their work in an English-style garden.

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