Culture of Arnhem. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

Arhnem is a city with rich historical heritage. Nowadays, numerous landmarks and sights remind of many important events in the history of the city, and every tourist is recommended to see them. It’s a true miracle that the ancient fort of Sabelspoort has survived till our days. The gorgeous fort is built on the site of an old fortress. The fortress has survived a series of battles, and then citizens had to demolish it to provide more space for new buildings. Beautiful palaces and parks appeared in that territory. Currently, they are the main landmarks of the city.

John Frost Bridge is another famous historical landmark of Arnhem. During the World War II, it became in the center of military actions and was almost completely destroyed. The construction was restored only in 1950, and the bridge got the name of the famous British commander. In the memory of the military actions, a memorial tablet and a monument appeared not far from the bridge. As it is not hard to guess, they are dedicated to soldiers who died in the war. Every year, the Market Garden celebration is held on the bridge in September. An open-air cinema appears on the bridge, and everyone is welcome to watch films about the WWII.

St. Eusebius Church is one of the most prominent architectural landmarks of the area. The building of the cathedral started in 1452 and lasted more than a century. This church is a wonderful example of the late gothic style. The bell tower is one of the highest in the whole country. During the years of World War II, it lost a significant part of its priceless artifacts. The main bell was destroyed, and the unique medieval organ was burnt to ashes. The complete restoration of the church ended only in 1964. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Tourists should not forget to see the town hall building. Local people call this building in quite an unusual way – Duivelshuis or the Home of the Devil. The beautiful mansion was constructed in the middle of the 16th century. At that time, it belonged to the family of a noble general. Only in the 19th century, the building became the city’s town hall. Korenmarkt or the “corn Square” is one of the main symbols of the city. The gates of the ancient Sabelspoort are located nearby. Through centuries, the square has retained its historical heritage. In the past, large corn fields were located not far from the modern square. Many tourists prefer to include a visit to Schelmseweg into their vacation program. Visitors particularly like Openluchtmuseum that exhibits a large collection of paintings and sculptures.

Many people around the world know about Arnhem because of “the Battle of Arnhem” that was one of the major battles during the Second World War. The fight happened near the four Dutch towns – Arnhem, Wolfheze, Oosterbeek, and Driel – in September 17-26, 1944. The biggest WW2 battle in the Netherlands left Arnhem literally in ruins. Even seven months after the battle, only 1% of houses were good enough to return and live in them. Naturally, such a disastrous event in the history of the city is reflected in the exhibitions of different museums dedicated to WW2. Even nowadays, many people from the United Kingdom and the United States come to Arnhem in September to remember those days or visit the cemeteries.

The Airborne Museum ‘Hartenstein’ is one of the largest museums dedicated to the battle. Its large and diverse collection contains many genuine items of the time, including uniforms and equipment that was used during the Battle of Arnhem. There are many photographs and documental videos about the details of the battle, interviews with soldiers and an interesting perspective of the area from different sides. The museum was closed in 2008 for renovation purposes and reopened in 2009, right in time for the 65th anniversary of the battle.

Oosterbeek Airborne War cemetery is one more memorial of that battle. It’s the place where more than 1,750 Alliance soldiers are buried. They all died during the Battle of Arnhem. Nowadays, it’s a silent place with lots of greenery. Special ceremonies take place only in September when thousands of people come to lay flowers and pay homage.

Arnhem has a reasonable amount of interesting museums. The first one is the Nederlands Openluchtmuseum. In truth, you cannot find a better place than this to get acquainted with the life of local people in certain times. Mills which are a symbol of the country, installations, and Dutch houses, all create a unique feeling as though you were approaching something great. It is here too that you can fully feel the unique Dutch flavor. It is worth leisurely walking through this place so as to read every sign on the houses and learn the history of the place.

It is a well-known fact that Arnhem suffered a great deal during World War II. And it is for this reason that the Arnhems Oorlogsmuseum is all about this topic. Here you can see the weapons of that time, documents, archives, and costumes. On the square in front of the museum, you will see military equipment of the time (tanks, howitzers). The Bronbeek Museum will introduce you to the Dutch history of the colonial time. As is known, the main province of the Netherlands was East Indies, and therefore a large part of it is devoted to the culture of India and Indonesia. After exploring the culture, you can dine in an excellent Indonesian restaurant.

As in any other Dutch city, the building of the central station dazzles from the very first minutes, literarily saying that visitors will like the acquaintance with the city. Arnhem in this case is no exception. The Central Station is built in a modern style, and besides, it quite functional. Arnhem is full of interesting sculptures, one of which is Feestaardvarken. This is a rather entertaining sculpture depicting a pig lazily lounging in the sun. Often you would wish to join her, especially after a hard day’s work.

In the park Zypendaal, besides the abundance of vegetation, ponds, restaurants with excellent cuisine, you can find the Huis Zypendaal. This house was built in 1784 by the architect Hendrik Viervant, as a country house of the Brantzen dynasty. During World War II, after the Battle of Arnhem, the building was used as a hospital for wounded German soldiers. To date, the estate is open to everyone. Another place in the city that is worth visiting is Arnhem Labyrint, where you can enjoy peace and tranquility while admiring interesting representatives of the flora. You should say a few words about a small but very attractive chapel in the town called Koepelkerk. It is worth mentioning that this is the very first Protestant church in the city, and it was built in the year 1837. Concerts and performances are often held here as well. The building is especially beautiful inside, so you should definitely take a quick look here.