Rhenen

Netherlands

View of the Nederrijn, with Rhenen's city centre and the Cunera Church on the right. Row of graves on the Military Cemetery on the Grebbeberg. Rhenen is a city and municipality in Utrecht.

Rhenen is a city along the Nederrijn with the Betuwe found on the south side of the river. Rhenen was first mentioned around 855 as Villa Hreni, and the town got its city rights in 1258. Rhenen, located in the Bishopric of Sticht (modern day Utrecht, Drenthe and Overijssel), of which Rhenen was one of the five influential cities. After centralisation by Charles V, the city turned into an easygoing garrisoned city. Rhenen once housed many royal summer residences of the rich, as well as Frederick V of the Palatinate, a grandson of William of Orange.

During the Second World War, Rhenen saw a lot of damage dealt to it. The city was evacuated during the battle for the Grebbeberg in May of 1940, and upon return, the citizens found that some 160 houses were fully destroyed and some thousand houses heavily damaged. Just about the only thing that didn't need major work done to it was the Cunera Church and its tower. The town was subsequently rebuilt by architect and engineer Cees Pouderoyen, who followed the Delftse School, one of the Dutch architectural styles, with as its most notable goal being preserving the traditional aspects of Dutch buildings. The majority of the city's reconstruction was done by 1942, two years after which, the city was again severely effected by the fall of the Nazi-German Empire during 1944 and 1945.

In modern times, the city is best known for Ouwehands Dierenpark as well as the Grebbeberg national memorial.

  • VVV Rhenen, Kerkstraat 1, +31 317 612 333. Tue-Sat: 10:00 - 16:00.

VVV Rhenen, Kerkstraat 1, +31 317 612 333. Tue-Sat: 10:00 - 16:00.

Turtles at Ouwehands Dierenpark.

  • Ouwehands Dierenpark, Grebbeweg 111 (, +31 317 650 200. Mon-Fri: 10:00 - 17:00, Sat, Sun: 9:30 - 17:30. One of the most popular zoos of the Netherlands, which started out in 1919 as a chicken farm and changed into a proper zoo during the Great Depression. Ouwehands hosted many events over time, and since 2015 hosts the largest barnacle aquarium of Europe and since 2017, the zoo houses two giant panda's lent to the zoo by China.
  • Militair Ereveld Grebbeberg, Grebbeweg 123 (, +31 317 612 507. 9:00 - 17:00. Militair Ereveld Grebbeberg is a military war cemetery where 800 people that died during the Nazi-German invasion of May 1940, 799 of which being military personnel, one being civilian. The cemetery is built on the Grebbeberg, where more than half of the buried soldiers died during the Battle of the Grebbeberg.
  • Cunerakerk, Kerkplein 1, +31 317 618 920. Year round: Sat: 10:00 - 13:00, during summer (July 1 - 2nd Saturday of September): Wed-Sat: 13:00 - 16:30. Free, but tips for the host are appreciated; climbing the tower costs €3 per person. Tickets can be bought at the VVV office..

Ouwehands Dierenpark, Grebbeweg 111 (, +31 317 650 200. Mon-Fri: 10:00 - 17:00, Sat, Sun: 9:30 - 17:30. One of the most popular zoos of the Netherlands, which started out in 1919 as a chicken farm and changed into a proper zoo during the Great Depression. Ouwehands hosted many events over time, and since 2015 hosts the largest barnacle aquarium of Europe and since 2017, the zoo houses two giant panda's lent to the zoo by [[China]].

Militair Ereveld Grebbeberg, Grebbeweg 123 (, +31 317 612 507. 9:00 - 17:00. Militair Ereveld Grebbeberg is a military war cemetery where 800 people that died during the Nazi-German invasion of May 1940, 799 of which being military personnel, one being civilian. The cemetery is built on the Grebbeberg, where more than half of the buried soldiers died during the [[w:Battle of the Grebbeberg|Battle of the Grebbeberg]].

Cunerakerk, Kerkplein 1, +31 317 618 920. Year round: Sat: 10:00 - 13:00, during summer (July 1 - 2nd Saturday of September): Wed-Sat: 13:00 - 16:30. Free, but tips for the host are appreciated; climbing the tower costs €3 per person. Tickets can be bought at the VVV office..

  • Bowling Rhenen, Groeneweg 58, +31 317 614 633. Mon-Fri: 15:00 - 23:00, Sat: 9:00 - 23:00.

Bowling Rhenen, Groeneweg 58, +31 317 614 633. Mon-Fri: 15:00 - 23:00, Sat: 9:00 - 23:00.

  • De Koning van Denemarken, Utrechtsestraat 2, +31 317 612 085. Sun-Thu: 11:00 - 24:00, Fri: 11:00 - 2:00, Sat: 11:00 - 1:00.
  • Sal do Mar, Frederik van de Paltshof 9, +31 317 613 000. Wed-Sun: 17:00 - 22:00.
  • Brasserie van Toor, Molenstraat 2, +31 317 612 368. Mon-Thu, Sat: 8:00 - 18:00, Fri: 8:00 - 20:00.
  • Tambo, Herenstraat 33, +31 317 617 167. Wed-Sun: 17:00 - 0:00.
  • Het Oude Gemeentehuis, Herenstraat 47, +31 317 740 294. Wed-Sun: 11:30 - 21:30.
  • Moeke Rhenen, Veerplein 1, +31 317 616 161. 10:00 - 0:00.
  • 't Kalkoentje, Utrechtsestraatweg 143, +31 317 612 344.

De Koning van Denemarken, Utrechtsestraat 2, +31 317 612 085. Sun-Thu: 11:00 - 24:00, Fri: 11:00 - 2:00, Sat: 11:00 - 1:00.

Sal do Mar, Frederik van de Paltshof 9, +31 317 613 000. Wed-Sun: 17:00 - 22:00.

Brasserie van Toor, Molenstraat 2, +31 317 612 368. Mon-Thu, Sat: 8:00 - 18:00, Fri: 8:00 - 20:00.

Tambo, Herenstraat 33, +31 317 617 167. Wed-Sun: 17:00 - 0:00.

Het Oude Gemeentehuis, Herenstraat 47, +31 317 740 294. Wed-Sun: 11:30 - 21:30.

Moeke Rhenen, Veerplein 1, +31 317 616 161. 10:00 - 0:00.

't Kalkoentje, Utrechtsestraatweg 143, +31 317 612 344.

  • Veenendaal - Just a single train ride away, Veenendaal is the gateway to the Utrecht Hill Ridge
  • Wageningen - University city that's only a few minutes away by bus.
  • Tiel - Capital of the Betuwe and home of the Fruit Corso and Appelpop, and in general, a city focussed around fruit.
  • Arnhem - Capital of Gelderland and home of the Dutch Open Air Museum and the Royal Burgers' Zoo.
  • Utrecht - Capital of the province of the same name and all around a beautiful city.

[[Veenendaal]] - Just a single train ride away, Veenendaal is the gateway to the [[Utrecht Hill Ridge]]

[[Wageningen]] - University city that's only a few minutes away by bus.

[[Tiel]] - Capital of the Betuwe and home of the Fruit Corso and Appelpop, and in general, a city focussed around fruit.

[[Arnhem]] - Capital of [[Gelderland]] and home of the [[Arnhem#Q674449|Dutch Open Air Museum]] and the [[Arnhem#Q390504|Royal Burgers' Zoo]].

  • [[Hoge Veluwe National Park]] - One of the biggest National Parks of the Netherlands, being 55km2 large.

[[Utrecht]] - Capital of the province of the same name and all around a beautiful city.