8 August 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Archaeologists Uncover Monumental Roman Building Near Waal River in Nijmegen, Netherlands

During a routine excavation ahead of a major urban development in the Waalfront district of Nijmegen, municipal archaeologists have uncovered the foundations of a vast Roman-era structure believed to have had a public function.

Located on the former grounds of the Roman city Ulpia Noviomagus, the newly discovered building stretches at least 30 by 35 meters and features a large inner courtyard of 20 by 25 meters, partially enclosed by double stone walls. One of the most striking finds is a set of limestone column fragments, suggesting that the courtyard may once have been surrounded by a colonnade — an architectural feature often associated with monumental Roman buildings like markets or administrative halls.

A Rare Discovery Near the River

What makes this discovery particularly noteworthy is its proximity to the Waal River, in an area where no intact Roman structures had previously been documented. This suggests that the ancient city of Ulpia Noviomagus extended closer to the river than previously believed.

“Each new find helps us add more pieces to the puzzle of Nijmegen’s Roman past,” said Tobias van Elferen, Alderman for Cultural Heritage. “The scale and design of this building imply a significant public function within the ancient city.”

Fragment of a limestone column uncovered during excavations in Nijmegen, believed to be part of a colonnade surrounding the inner courtyard of a Roman public building. Credit: Gemeente Nijmegen
Fragment of a limestone column uncovered during excavations in Nijmegen, believed to be part of a colonnade surrounding the inner courtyard of a Roman public building. Credit: Gemeente Nijmegen

In addition to the structural remains, archaeologists also unearthed Roman roof tiles, pottery shards, and daily-use artifacts, offering further evidence of a once-vibrant Roman settlement.

Urban Development Meets Ancient History

The excavation site lies within the future Waalkwartier West, a major development project that will include hundreds of residential units, a parking garage, and public spaces near the Honig complex. While much of the Roman layer is being preserved in place, the section beneath the planned residential tower could not be saved, prompting the urgent dig.

However, the full extent of the Roman structure remains unclear. Its northern walls vanish under the riverbank’s retaining wall, while its eastern boundaries stretch beyond the current excavation zone.

The Legacy of Ulpia Noviomagus

Founded shortly after 70 AD on the ruins of Oppidum Batavorum, Ulpia Noviomagus was the first and largest Roman city in what is now the Netherlands. By the 2nd century, it had evolved into a regional capital complete with a forum, temples, bathhouses, and extensive cemeteries. It is estimated that between 5,000 and 7,000 inhabitants from across the Roman Empire lived there, making it one of the most multicultural centers in the Roman northwest.

Ceramic fragments recovered from the Roman settlement of Ulpia Noviomagus in Nijmegen, providing valuable data on domestic usage and trade in the 2nd–3rd century A.D. Credit: Gemeente Nijmegen
Ceramic fragments recovered from the Roman settlement of Ulpia Noviomagus in Nijmegen, providing valuable data on domestic usage and trade in the 2nd–3rd century A.D. Credit: Gemeente Nijmegen

The city began to decline around 300 AD, with settlement shifting toward what is now the Valkhof area in modern Nijmegen.

As excavations wrap up by the end of this week, researchers hope to gather more data on the structure’s layout and purpose. While much remains hidden beneath modern infrastructure, this unexpected discovery near the Waal River sheds light on the depth, scale, and civic sophistication of Roman life in the Netherlands — and reaffirms Nijmegen’s status as a key archaeological site in Northern Europe.

Gemeente Nijmegen

Cover Image Credit: Gemeente Nijmegen

Related Articles

Rare Elizabethan ship discovered at a quarry

2 January 2023

2 January 2023

An Elizabethan ship in “remarkable condition” has been discovered on the lake bed of a Kent quarry, one of only...

Evidence of Intentional Roman Use of Narcotic Seeds, Found in Bone Vessel in the Netherlands

8 February 2024

8 February 2024

Archaeologists have discovered the first conclusive evidence of the existence of a hallucinogenic and poisonous plant thought to have been...

Glacier archaeologists find a 1300-year-old arrow in melting ice

20 August 2022

20 August 2022

The Glacier archaeologists found a 1300-year-old arrow from the Norwegian Iron Age during a research project on the Langfonne ice...

Intricate Design Revealed on 1100-Year-Old Gold-Inlaid Ritual Spear from Japan’s Island of the Gods

13 June 2025

13 June 2025

A recent archaeological breakthrough on Japan’s sacred Okinoshima Island has unveiled an ornately decorated iron spear from the late Kofun...

A mysterious lead tablet with an unknown 13th-14th-century script: Might be an old Lithuanian script?

26 February 2024

26 February 2024

In the Museum of the Palace of the Grand Dukes in Vilnius, Lithuania, a mysterious lead tablet dating back to...

Medieval Weapon Chest Found on Sunken Medieval Flagship Gribshunden

20 April 2024

20 April 2024

An extensive exploration of the wreck of the royal flagship Gribshunden has unearthed a trove of new findings: new insights...

The Secret of the Shipwrecks at Theodosius Harbor: 1,600 Years Old Women’s Sandals and Comb

11 April 2023

11 April 2023

The 1,600-year-old sandals and comb unearthed during the excavations of Theodosius Harbor (Portus Theodosiacus), the second-biggest harbor built on the...

A 900-year-old Crusader sword was found by a diver off Israel’s Carmen coast

18 October 2021

18 October 2021

A meter-long sword dating back to the Crusader period was found by an amateur diver on the seabed off the...

Hidden Treasure from WWII: 500,000 Phantom Ceramic Coins Found

8 November 2024

8 November 2024

About 500,000 Maboroshi (phantom) ceramic coins manufactured due to metal shortages during World War II were discovered in a warehouse...

Archaeologists Uncover Extensive Ancient Irrigation Network in Eridu, the World’s First City

8 March 2025

8 March 2025

Recent research by a multidisciplinary team of archaeologists and geologists has revealed that the Eridu region of southern Mesopotamia, inhabited...

Czech archaeologists discovered a unique bronze belt buckle dating back to the eighth century

12 December 2023

12 December 2023

Czech archaeologists have unearthed a bronze belt buckle from the early Middle Ages, depicting a snake devouring a frog-like creature....

Oldest Direct Evidence for Honey Collecting in Africa

18 April 2021

18 April 2021

Honey is an important food source that has been considered a very important healing source in the history of civilizations....

Unique Gold Ring and Crystal Amulet among 30,000 Medieval Treasures Uncovered in Sweden

7 March 2024

7 March 2024

In the Swedish medieval city of Kalmar, archaeologists from the State Historical Museums unearthed the remains of over 30,000 objects...

The impressive Statue of young Hercules unearthed in Philippi, Northern Greece

24 September 2022

24 September 2022

A larger-than-life youthful Hercules statue dating to the 2nd century A.D. have been found in the ancient city of Philippi...

1000-Year-Old Tomb Found in Perre Ancient City in southeast Turkey

1 July 2021

1 July 2021

A 1,000-year-old tomb was unearthed in the ancient city of Perre in Adiyaman province. Perre is one of the five...