Gelderland: a must-see near Amsterdam

Gelderland is a province southeast of Amsterdam.

This is the most sparsely populated area in the Netherlands, with vast areas of forest and several nature park reserves.

Today, let me introduce you to this unique place in Holland.

Gelderland: article summary

Gelderland: in brief

The Gelderland region dates back to the 11ᵉ century and the county of Gerle, which after the fall of Charlemagne's European empire became independent.

Over the following centuries, the Counts of Gerle incorporated Guelders the Betuwe region, Veluwe, Zutphen county.

One of the oldest cities in the Netherlands, it celebrated its 2000th anniversary in 2005. Other cities such as Nijmegen are also historical gems in Gelderland.

Nijmegen: a city founded by the Romans

In its early days, Nijmegen was a former Roman military camp, which later became the real city. One of Emperor Charlemagne's palaces was built in Nijmegen and, according to some documents, the city was his favorite place of residence.

In the Middle Ages, Nijmegen became an important trading center. As the Dukes of Burgundy gained power in the 14th century, Nijmegen became a major trading center, they extended their state from their capital Dijon in France to Nijmegen.

During the last war, American planes mistakenly bombed the center of Nijmegen, mistaking it for the German town of Kleve and killing 750 of its inhabitants.

Today, Nijmegen is a large city, with a few places not to be missed, such as :

• Africa Museum
• The National Bicycle Museum with over 250 cycles on display

Gelderland: Arnhem, the region's prefecture

Another major town in Gelederland is Arnhem, famous for its World War II battle. in 1944.

The Battle of Arnhem was supposed to be the pride of British Field Marshal Montgomery, but became a monument to the dramatic failure of his command, costing the lives of thousands of soldiers as well as the people of Arnhem.

In the aftermath of the battle, in September 1944, Arnhem's 98,000 inhabitants were forced to flee. They left their homes under dramatic circumstances and were only able to return after Germany's surrender on May 5, 1945.

Close to Germany

The province of Gelderland borders Germany, and several of its towns were, in the 14ᵉ century, member of the Hanseatic League of trading towns.

The region itself accepted the superior power of the Germanic Roman Emperor, then of the Habsburg Emperor in 1453. It was not until 1815 that Gelderland was officially reunited with the Netherlands.

Gelderland: a region anchored in its time

Today, Gelderland is a province of contrasts:

• Vast green spaces
• Forests
• Parks
• Numerous ancient palaces such as the Palais Van Loo in Apeldoorn
• Castles such as Huis Bergh, Bronkhorst, Oldenaller and Zaltbommel

Gelderland is also an agricultural region (in particular the Betuwe region) and boasts important industries near Arnhem and Nijmegen.

Visit the Kröller-Müller

The museum is not to be missed, not only for its valuable collection of modern art, which includes several works by Van Gogh and Mondrian, but also for its interesting garden of modern sculptures, but also because of its park.

The museum is unique. Here you'll discover an important art collection housed in buildings in the middle of the forest, preserved as a nature reserve.

Over the years, the villages and their inhabitants were removed from the estate. A natural wilderness habitat was restored, with the aim of restoring nature to its original state.

Getting around Gelderland

Cars are only allowed on a few main roads, and can be easily parked in selected locations.

Hundreds of white bicycles are available free of charge available to visitors at the park gates. Several small cycle paths allow cyclists to visit a rich and varied natural area consisting of :

• Forests
• Of sand dunes
• Of marshes
• Of lakes

A perfect location for a full-day excursion from Amsterdam. The museum offers its guests not only the finest works of contemporary art, but also plenty of space for silence and active relaxation. The perfect place to spend aquiet in the Dutch countryside.

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