The Valkhof Chapel in Nijmegen. New information about its medieval building history

Authors

  • Barbara Perlich
  • Gabri van Tussenbroek

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7480/knob.107.2008.3.174

Abstract

The round St. Nicolas Chapel on the Valkhof in the city of Nijmegen is one of the oldest buildings in the Netherlands. Since the beginning of the 19th century the building has been subject to research and discussion. The current research project has shown that the chapel was originally built before the demolition of the Valkhof in the year 1047. Mortar analysis has clearly provided the division between the parts dating from the 11th and 12th centuries. Elements like the joints, cubical capitals, groined vaults and wall structure indicate that the first chapel was built around the year 1030, probably in commission of Emperor Conrad II.

It was not until the second half of the 12th century that Frederick Barbarossa decided to rebuild the Valkhof. The chapel was reconstructed in its old form, with only slight alterations. Due to an unknown demolition, the chapel was partly rebuilt for the second time at the end of the 14th century. Dendrochronological research provided the years 1393 and 1394, which dates could be sustained by written sources. Although the second rebuilding of the chapel constitutes the most historic building substance of the chapel, the original outline of the 11th century building is still recognisable nowadays.

Author Biographies

Barbara Perlich

Dr.-Ing. Barbara Perlich is architect en bouwhistorica. Zij schreef een proefschrift over middeleeuwse baksteenbouw in Europa en deed onderzoek naar de dom van Erfurt. Ze is verbonden als assistent aan het Fachbereich für Bau- und Stadtbaugeschichte van de Technische Universität Berlin.

Gabri van Tussenbroek

Dr. Gabri van Tussenbroek was tussen 2001 en 2005 als postdoc-onderzoeker verbonden aan de Technische Universität Berlin. Sinds oktober 2005 werkt hij als stedelijk bouwhistoricus bij Bureau Monumenten & Archeologie van de gemeente Amsterdam.

Published

2008-06-01

How to Cite

Perlich, B., & van Tussenbroek, G. (2008). The Valkhof Chapel in Nijmegen. New information about its medieval building history. Bulletin KNOB, 107(3), 90–100. https://doi.org/10.7480/knob.107.2008.3.174

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