Arnhem facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Arnhem
City and municipality
Musis Sacrum Arnhem Centraal railway station Building by Willem Diehl John Frost Bridge Villa Sonsbeek
Flag Coat of arms Brandmark
Nickname(s):  Ernem, Arnheim, Arra, Nultweezes, Nulzesentwintig, 026
Location in Gelderland
Arnhem Location in Netherlands Show map of Netherlands Arnhem Location in Europe Show map of Europe
Country	Netherlands
Province	Gelderland
Government
• Body	Municipal council
Area
• Municipality	101.54 km2 (39.20 sq mi)
• Land	97.99 km2 (37.83 sq mi)
• Water	3.55 km2 (1.37 sq mi)
Elevation	13 m (43 ft)
Population  (Municipality, May 2014; Urban and Metro, May 2014)
• Municipality	151,356
• Density	1,545/km2 (4,000/sq mi)
• Urban	152,850
• Metro	361,048
Demonym(s)	Ernemmer
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postcode	6800–6846
Area code	026
Click on the map for a fullscreen view

Arnhem (Dutch: [ˈɑrnɛm] or [ˈɑr(ə)nɦɛm]; German: Arnheim [ˈaʁnhaɪm]; Ernems: Èrnem) is a city and municipality in the eastern Netherlands. It's close to the German border and is the capital of the Gelderland province. The city sits on both sides of the Nederrijn and Sint-Jansbeek rivers, which helped it grow.

Arnhem is home to several important places. These include the Hogeschool van Arnhem en Nijmegen (a university of applied sciences), the ArtEZ Institute of the Arts, and the Netherlands Open Air Museum. You can also find the Airborne Museum 'Hartenstein', Royal Burgers' Zoo, and the National Sports Centre Papendal here. Part of the Hoge Veluwe National Park is in the northern area of the municipality. This park covers about 55 square kilometers of heathlands, sand dunes, and woodlands.

Discovering Arnhem's Past

Early Beginnings

The very first signs of people living around Arnhem are two firestones from about 70,000 years ago. These tools were used by Neanderthals during the Stone Age. Later, a hunters' camp from around 5000 BC was found in Schuytgraaf. In Schaarsbergen, twelve ancient burial mounds from 2400 BC show when farming began in the area.

The earliest settlement in Arnhem itself dates back to 1500 BC. Traces of this settlement were found on the Hoogkamp. Around 700 BC, people settled in the inner city near the Sint-Jansbeek river.

Arnhem was not built right on the Rhine river at first. Instead, it was built a bit higher up along the Sint-Jansbeek. The city grew where important roads from Nijmegen, Utrecht, and Zutphen met. Seven streams supplied the city with water. It was only in 1530, when the Rhine's path changed, that Arnhem became located directly on the river.

Medieval Times

Arnhem was first mentioned in writing in 893 as Arneym or Arentheym. In 1233, Count Otto II of Guelders gave the town city rights. He also fortified it, meaning he built defenses around it. Arnhem joined the Hanseatic League in 1443, which was a powerful group of trading cities. In 1473, Charles the Bold of Burgundy took control of the city.

Changes in the 16th and 17th Centuries

In 1514, Charles of Egmond, the duke of Guelders, took Arnhem from the dukes of Burgundy. Then, in 1543, it fell to Emperor Charles V. Arnhem became the capital of the "Kwartier van Veluwe" region. It joined the Union of Utrecht in 1579 during the Eighty Years' War, a fight for Dutch independence.

After Dutch and English troops captured it from the Spanish in 1585, Arnhem became part of the Dutch Republic. The French army occupied the town from 1672 to 1674.

Arnhem in the 18th and 19th Centuries

Huis Zypendaal

From 1795 to 1813, the French occupied Arnhem again.

In the early 1800s, most of the old city walls were taken down. This made space for the town to grow. The Sabelspoort (Sabresgate) is the only part of the medieval walls that still stands today.

In the 19th century, Arnhem became a popular resort town. It was known for its beautiful scenery and parks. Many wealthy people, especially those who had made money from sugar in the Indies, settled there. Even now, Arnhem is famous for its green spaces. The way the city is built on hilly land in the north is also quite unique for the Netherlands.

World War II and Liberation

The Battle of Arnhem

During World War II, Arnhem was the site of a very important battle. This happened during Operation Market Garden in September 1944. The plan was for the British 1st Airborne Division and the Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade to capture the bridge in Arnhem.

Battle of Arnhem

On September 17, 1944, Glider infantry and paratrooper units landed near Arnhem. Most of the soldiers landed far from the bridge and couldn't reach it. However, a small group from the British 1st Airborne, led by Lieutenant Colonel John D. Frost, made it to the bridge. They couldn't secure both sides of it. The British soldiers faced strong resistance from German forces.

The John Frost Bridge, seen from the Airborne memorial

The British troops at the bridge eventually ran out of supplies and were captured on September 21. The remaining forces had to withdraw on September 26. This battle was shown in the 1977 movie A Bridge Too Far. To honor the soldiers, the rebuilt bridge was named 'John Frost Bridge' after their commander. The battle is remembered every year on September 17.

The current bridge is actually the third one built in the same spot. The Dutch Army destroyed the first bridge in 1940 when the German Army invaded. The second bridge was destroyed by the United States Army Air Forces shortly after the 1944 battle.

Liberating Arnhem

A second battle for Arnhem happened in April 1945. The city was finally freed by the British 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division, working with the First Canadian Army. The people of Arnhem, who had been forced to leave by the Germans, came back in the summer of 1945. Rebuilding Arnhem took a long time, finishing in 1969.

Near Arnhem, in Oosterbeek, is the Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery. This cemetery holds the graves of many soldiers who died during the September landings and later fighting.

Arnhem also hosted the 1980 Summer Paralympics, a major international sports event for athletes with disabilities.

Arnhem's Location and Climate

City Layout

Topographic map of Arnhem.

The municipality of Arnhem includes the city itself and nearby suburbs and former villages. These include Elden, Netherlands and Schaarsbergen.

Arnhem is divided into three main districts and 24 neighborhoods. Each neighborhood has a number that matches its postal code.

• Arnhem Centrum (City Centre)
• Arnhem-North (includes neighborhoods like Spijkerkwartier, Klarendal, and Sonsbeek-Zuid)
• Arnhem-South (includes Malburgen, De Laar, and Schuytgraaf)

Nearby Villages

Several villages are right next to Arnhem. Many people from these villages originally came from Arnhem.

Close to Germany

Arnhem is only about 15 kilometers from the German border. Some villages in Elten, Germany, are like "bedroom communities" for people who work in Arnhem. This is partly because house prices are lower just across the border.

Weather in Arnhem

Arnhem has a typical oceanic climate like the rest of the Netherlands. However, because it's located at the edge of the Veluwe, the largest forest in the Netherlands, it gets a bit more rain.

Exploring Arnhem's Attractions

City centre

Famous Buildings and Places

• The Grote Kerk (St. Eusebius' Church) was built between 1452 and 1560. Its tower was largely destroyed during World War II, but a modern part was rebuilt and opened in 1964. The municipality actually owns the tower, not the church itself.
• The house of Maarten van Rossum, a general, has been the town hall since 1830. It's called Duivelshuis (devil's house) because of the satyr statues in its Renaissance decorations.
• The Netherlands Open Air Museum is just outside the city. It has old houses, farms, factories, and windmills from different parts of the Netherlands.
• Two other windmills, De Hoop and De Kroon, stand in Arnhem itself.
• The Royal Burgers' Zoo in Arnhem is one of the biggest and most visited zoos in the Netherlands. It features unique areas like an underwater tunnel, a desert, a mangrove forest, and a rainforest.
• The GelreDome is the home stadium for Vitesse Arnhem, the city's football team. It's special because it has a roof that can open and a grass field that can slide out!
• The KEMA Toren is the tallest building in Arnhem. It's a 140-meter-high TV tower.

Beautiful Parks to Visit

• 

  Sonsbeek Park (Urban park)

• 

  Zypendaal Park

• 

  Veluwezoom National Park

• 

  Hoge Veluwe National Park

Interesting Museums in Arnhem

• 

  Netherlands Open Air Museum

• 

  Airborne Museum 'Hartenstein'

• 

  Gemeentemuseum

• 

  Museum Bronbeek

More Arnhem Landmarks

• 

  Musis Sacrum

• 

  Arnhem Centrum

• 

  Central Station

• 

  Burgers Zoo

Fun Events in Arnhem

Airborne Commemoration (1994)

Arnhem hosts many exciting events throughout the year:

• Airborne Commemoration (September 17–26)
• World Statues Festival (a championship for Living Statues)
• Sonsbeek Theater Avenue
• Free Your Mind Festival
• Dancetour
• 8Bahn
• De Rabo Bridge to Bridge (Marathon)
• UITboulevard (Cultural Festival)
• Sprookjesfestival (Fairy tale Festival)
• King's Day
• Sinterklaas
• Hoogte80
• ASM Festival

Sports in Arnhem

National Sports Centre Papendal

GelreDome Stadium

The National Sports Centre Papendal is a major sports training center in the Netherlands, located in Arnhem. The first big event held here was the 1980 Summer Paralympics. Since 1993, it has been a key development center for Dutch sports.

NOC*NSF is the Dutch Olympic Committee and Sports Federation. They have 90 national sports organizations connected to them, representing about 2700 sports clubs. Papendal is also where the football club Vitesse Arnhem trains, including their youth teams. The center also has a conference area and a hotel.

Before the 2012 Summer Olympics, a copy of the BMX racing track from the London Velopark was built at Papendal. This track hosted a major BMX event in 2011.

Since 2013, Sports Centre Papendal has become its own organization, separate from NOC*NSF. This allows it to offer more commercial services. It has facilities for many sports, like athletics and cycling.

The main sport in Arnhem is football with the club Vitesse Arnhem. They play at the GelreDome stadium, which was built for the UEFA Euro 2000 tournament. Vitesse has had some success in the Eredivisie (the top Dutch football league) and has played in the UEFA Cup. Their best league finish was third place in 1997–98, and they won the KNVB Cup in 2016–17.

Introdans is a dance company based in Arnhem. In 2009, the government recognized Introdans as an important national cultural organization. In 2016, the 2016 Giro d'Italia, a famous bicycle race, passed through Arnhem.

Getting Around Arnhem

Trolleybus in Arnhem

Arnhem has a main train station, Arnhem Centraal railway station, which opened in 1845. It has train connections to cities like Utrecht, Nijmegen, and Zutphen. You can also take the Intercity-Express from Arnhem to Düsseldorf and Frankfurt in Germany.

Arnhem is special in the Netherlands because it has a trolleybus system. These are electric buses that get power from overhead wires.

Notable People from Arnhem

Fun Facts About Arnhem

• Arnhem is the name of a march song composed by A.E. Kelly.
• Arnhem Land in Australia was named after the VOC-ship Arnhem.
• Theirs is the Glory (also known as Men of Arnhem) is a 1946 British war film about the British 1st Airborne Division's role in the Battle of Arnhem during World War II. Another film, A Bridge Too Far, also tells the story of this battle.

Arnhem's Sister Cities

Arnhem is connected with these cities around the world:

See also

In Spanish: Arnhem para niños