Mariënburgkapel

The Mariënburgkapel is a late medieval chapel in Nijmegen, built around 1430 as part of a convent that stood just outside the old city walls. It is one of the few surviving buildings of its kind in a city that lost much of its historic fabric to bombing and war, and it now houses displays about the history of Nijmegen. A visit gives both an introduction to the city's long past and a chance to see a rare piece of medieval architecture.

The convent was home to the Sisters of the Common Life, a community of women associated with the late medieval religious reform movement known as the Modern Devotion. The sisters lived a devout life without taking the strict vows of a traditional order, supporting themselves by work such as weaving and teaching, and they were an important part of religious life in many Dutch and German towns. The chapel was built for their use and was arranged on two floors, which separated the sisters from visiting lay people during services.

After the Reformation, the convent was dissolved and the buildings were used for other purposes, as happened to many monastic buildings across the Netherlands. The chapel survived in altered form, and its later history included uses as a storehouse and a place of other activities. In more recent times it was restored and opened to the public as a cultural and historical site, and the original structure can be appreciated again.

Nijmegen itself is the oldest city in the country, founded by the Romans as Noviomagus, and it has been a fortress, a royal residence and a trading town. The chapel is a good place to start understanding that story. Nearby, the Stevenskerk dominates the old centre, Museum Het Valkhof shows Roman finds and art, and Lange Hezelstraat is a long pedestrian shopping street. Kronenburgerpark is a quiet green space, and the Vasim cultural centre is a creative hub in a former factory.

The chapel suits history lovers, architecture fans and anyone looking for a quiet stop in the city. It is small, so allow around half an hour, and check opening times in advance since they can be limited. Combine it with a walk through the old streets. Following the Reformation the Catholic sisters left, and Mass was no longer said here. The exhibition on the city's past is the main reason to enter today. Today the chapel is easy to include in a walk. The Nijmeegse historical tradition is strong.