Rhenen () is a

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

and a

city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

in the central

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

. The municipality also includes the villages of Achterberg, Remmerden, Elst and Laareind. The town lies at a geographically interesting location, namely on the southernmost part of the chain of hills known as the

Utrecht Hill Ridge Utrecht Hill Ridge ( nl, Utrechtse Heuvelrug) is a ridge of low sandhills that stretches in a direction from southeast to northwest over the Dutch province of Utrecht and over a part of North Holland. The total length of the region is about 50 ...

(Utrechtse Heuvelrug), where this meets the river

Rhine ), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland , source1_coordinates= , source1_elevation = , source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein , source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland , source2_coordinates= , so ...

. Because of this Rhenen has a unique character with quite some elevation through town. Directly to the east of the built-up area lies the Grebbeberg, a hill with a top elevation of about .

History

Before 1900

Rhenen received city rights probably between 1256 and 1258. In 1346, the bishop of Utrecht ordered the construction of a defensive wall around the city, which was important because it lay near the border with Guelders. Although for some time the town collected toll from ships on the Rhine, it has never had a harbour. The three city gates were demolished in 1840. Small fragments of the wall remain. The town is also famous for the Cunera Church, parts of which date back to the 15th century. Containing the relics of

Saint Cunera Saint Cunera of Rhenen, also Kunera (strangled to death in Rhenen, diocese of Utrecht, 28 October 340) was a virgin and martyr. Her name is first mentioned in the 11th century. Cunera is the patron saint of the city of Rhenen in the Netherlands, a ...

, it attracted many pilgrims. Legend has it that Cunera was buried on a nearby hill now called the Cuneraheuvel. The church's tower was built between 1492 and 1531. In 1621, a palace was constructed at Rhenen for the ousted

Frederick V Frederick V or Friedrich V may refer to: * Frederick V, Duke of Swabia (1164–1170) *Frederick V, Count of Zollern (d.1289) *Frederick V, Burgrave of Nuremberg (c. 1333–1398), German noble *Frederick V of Austria (1415–1493), or Frederick III ...

. It was demolished in 1812.

World War II

Part of the center of Rhenen, which was located near the defensive Grebbelinie ( Grebbe line), was destroyed during the German attack on the Netherlands in May 1940. Part of the reconstruction took place during the war. In 1945, the town was damaged again during the liberation of the country from German occupation. Many or all of the Dutch soldiers who were killed by the Germans near Rhenen lie buried at the ''Erebegraafplaats'' (Cemetery of Honor), located along the Grebbeweg (N 225) near the top of the Grebbeberg. Across the road is an important war monument with a poem by J.C. Bloem. In 2008 Rhenen celebrated its 750th anniversary.

Main sights

* Ouwehands Dierenpark, a

zoo A zoo (short for zoological garden; also called an animal park or menagerie) is a facility in which animals are kept within enclosures for public exhibition and often bred for conservation purposes. The term ''zoological garden'' refers to zoo ...

, founded in 1932. * The Cunera Church, a late-Gothic hall-church, built between 1492 and 1531. * Modern

Roman Catholic church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

, built between 1958 and 1959. * Building 'De Brakke' from 1787. * Ruins of the 14th century

Medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

defensive wall. * The , a round

gristmill A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and middlings. The term can refer to either the grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist is grain that has been separat ...

from 1893. * The estate. *

Military War Cemetery Grebbeberg Grebbeberg War Cemetery ( nl, Militair Ereveld Grebbeberg) is a Second World War military war grave cemetery, located on the Grebbeberg, a hill east of Rhenen the Netherlands. The cemetery contains 799 military personnel and one civilian who died ...

, a military cemetery on the Grebbeberg.

Transport

Rhenen railway station Rhenen is a railway station located in Rhenen, Netherlands. The station was opened on 18 February 1886 and is located on the Kesteren–Amersfoort railway (Maarn - Rhenen). The services are currently operated by Nederlandse Spoorwegen Nederla ...

Notable people

(1596-1632), Count Palatine and Elector of the Palatinate from 1610 to 1623 and King of Bohemia (as ''Frederick I'') from 1619 to 1620 *

Giedo van der Garde Giedo Gijsbertus Gerrit van der Garde (born 25 April 1985 in Rhenen, Netherlands) is a Dutch racing driver, currently competing in the 2022 IMSA SportsCar Championship for TDS Racing. From 2018 to 2021 he competed in the FIA World Endurance Ch ...

(born 1985), a Dutch racing driver * Touriya Haoud (born 1977), a Dutch actress, model and singer who lives in Los Angeles IMDb Database
retrieved 14 December 2019 * Madelein Meppelink (born 1989), a Dutch beach volleyball player, competed in the

2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...

and 2016 Summer Olympics * Jacob Nienhuys (1836–1927), founded the tobacco producer Deli Company in Sumatra * Remy Reynierse (born 1961), is a former football player with 312 club caps, current coach at

Sheffield Wednesday F.C. Sheffield Wednesday Football Club is a professional association football club based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. The team competes in League One, the third tier of the English football league system. Formed in 1867 as an offshoot of ...

Bibiane Schoofs Bibiane Schoofs (born 13 May 1988), previously known as Bibiane Weijers, is a Dutch professional tennis player. On 11 June 2012, she reached her career-high WTA singles ranking of 142, whilst her best doubles ranking was world No. 83 on 2 Apri ...

(born 1988), a Dutch professional tennis player * Jacobus Tollius (1633–1696), a Dutch

classicist Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...

* Eelco Uri (born 1973), a Dutch male former water polo player, competed in the 1966 and

2000 Summer Olympics The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad and also known as Sydney 2000 ( Dharug: ''Gadigal 2000''), the Millennium Olympic Games or the Games of the New Millennium, was an international multi-sport event held from ...

* Lisa van Viegen (born 1978), stage name

iET __NOTOC__ IET can refer to: Organizations * Institute of Educational Technology, part of the Open University * Institution of Engineering and Technology, a UK-based professional engineering institution ** Institute of Engineers and Technicians, wh ...

, a Dutch singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist

Gallery

File:Rhenen, Militair Ereveld Grebbeberg IMG 9161 2019-04-19 13.11.jpg, War monument: Militair Ereveld Grebbeberg File:Rhenen, de Binnenmolen RM32465 IMG 9170 2019-04-19 14.00.jpg, Windmill: the Binnenmolen File:Lovely houses in Rhenen with characteristic wooden ornaments - panoramio.jpg, Houses in Rhenen with characteristic wooden ornaments File:HavenvanRhenen2010-2.jpg, Haven van Rhenen File:View of Rhenen, Jan Van Goyen, 1656.jpg, View of Rhenen, Jan Van Goyen, 1656 File:Pandasia Ouwehands Dierenpark 2017 4.jpg, Pandasia Ouwehands Dierenpark File:Straatbeeld - Rhenen - 20398412 - RCE.jpg, Straatbeeld, Rhenen File:Gezicht op Rhenen - Rhenen - 20396586 - RCE.jpg, Gezicht op Rhenen File:Rhenen - 2011 - panoramio (25).jpg, Rhenen, panoramio File:Rhenen Frederik van de Paltshof Poort.jpg, Rhenen, Frederik van de Paltshof Poort

References

External links

* {{Authority control Cities in the Netherlands Municipalities of Utrecht (province) Populated places in Utrecht (province)