6 June 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

A rare sheep carriage and ancient chariots found near mausoleum of China’s first emperor

28 October 2023

28 October 2023

A rare “six-sheep” carriage and a four-wheeled wooden chariot were discovered near the mausoleum of Qinshihuang, China’s first Emperor during...

Army Museum Worker Discovers Early Medieval Sword While Swimming in a Polish River

19 December 2024

19 December 2024

The collection of the Army Museum in Białystok, Poland has been enriched after renovation with a unique relic of great...

A new study reveals more than one person was buried in a tomb where the famous Nestor’s Cup was found

6 October 2021

6 October 2021

The Tomb of Nestor’s Cup, a burial that contained one of the oldest known Greek inscriptions, was more crowded than...

History of 8,500 years waits for a museum

19 June 2023

19 June 2023

The conservation process of the Yenikapı shipwrecks, which were discovered during the Marmaray project and considered the largest collection of...

Largest Headhunting Massacre of Women and Children in Neolithic China

12 November 2023

12 November 2023

A new study discovers that ancient headless skeletons discovered in mass graves in China are the remains of victims who...

Unique Lion-Headed Handles Unveiled from a Roman-Period Cist Tomb Near Khirbat Ibreika

30 April 2025

30 April 2025

Beneath the ancient dust of Khirbat Ibreika in southern Israel, archaeologists have unearthed an unexpected enigma: four bronze discs, each...

Truncated conical tombs 3,000 years old found in the Chapultepec Forest

26 November 2023

26 November 2023

Archaeologists from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) unearthed 10 truncated conical tombs, approximately 3,000 years old, at...

Khufu Boat moved to its New Museum by Smart Vehicle

8 August 2021

8 August 2021

A 4,600-year-old intact wooden boat bearing the name of an Egyptian pharaoh, Khufu, was transported to a new museum about...

1400-Year-Old Folding Chair Found in a Woman’s Grave in Germany

30 August 2022

30 August 2022

In Steinsfeld, in the German state of Ansbach, archaeologists have unearthed a 1,400-year-old folding chair from an early medieval woman’s...

Anthropologists discovered a bone in the Grotte du Renne cave in France that could indicate the presence of a previously unknown lineage of Homo sapiens

9 August 2023

9 August 2023

A bone discovered in the Grotte du Renne cave in France may represent the existence of a previously unknown lineage...

The Ramesseum’s ‘House of Life’ Reveals Ancient Egypt’s Educational Secrets!

6 April 2025

6 April 2025

A recent archaeological mission has unveiled groundbreaking findings at the Ramesseum, the grand mortuary temple of Pharaoh Ramesses II, located...

The “food” thousands of years ago may be the ancestor of a Turkish dessert

25 July 2021

25 July 2021

The rock paintings and kitchen materials found in the cave, which were discovered by a shepherd and emerged as a...

Illegal digs reveal rare Roman-era mass grave in Turkey

28 July 2022

28 July 2022

A total of 27 skeletons were found in a burial pit carved into the rocks in Adıyaman province, an important...

The discovery of a 380-million-year-old heart sheds new light on our bodies’ evolution

16 September 2022

16 September 2022

Researchers from Curtin University have discovered the world’s oldest heart in a ‘beautifully preserved’ ancient jawed fish fossil 380 million...

2nd-Century Statue Head Discovered at Fethiye Castle

22 August 2024

22 August 2024

Türkiye’s coastal town of Fethiye, which is famous for its natural beauties and historical sites, found an 1800-year-old statue head...

Comments
Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *