History of country house Oud-Heyendael

Country house Oud-Heyendael is the oldest building on campus. It dates back to the early 18th century and is located on the René Descartesdreef. Currently, it is the base of the staff association of Radboud University and the Radboudumc. The country house is a municipal monument.

Country house Oud-Heyendael

For a long time, the 18th-century country house was the heart of the Heyendael estate. That came to an end in 1912 when big industrialist Frans Jurgens from Oss built his castle, a hunting lodge, on today's Geert Grooteplein. Since then, the country house has been called Oud-Heyendael. This is where Jurgens accommodated his staff. Over the centuries, the country house was often renovated and its surroundings changed quite a lot.

Een foto uit 1910 van het exterieur van het landhuis op het terrein Heyendael
Exterieur van het landhuis op het terrein Heyendael, 1910

17th-century country estate

Since the 17th century, members of the regent class settled in summer estates around the city. Amid fields, meadows and forest plots, they had luxurious country houses built on vast estates. This was also the case in Nijmegen. The Heyendael estate is a striking example.

Landgoed Heyendael op de uitsnede van een wandelkaart van Nijmegen en omstreken uit 1897
Landgoed Heyendael op de uitsnede van een wandelkaart van Nijmegen en omstreken uit 1897

See also