Nijmegen (/ˈnaɪmeɪɡən/ NY-may-gən, Dutch: [ˈnɛimeːɣə(n)] ; Nijmeegs: Nimwèège [ˈnɪmβ̞ɛːçə]) is the largest city in the Dutch province of Gelderland and the ninth largest of the Netherlands as a whole. Located on the Waal River close to the German border, Nijmegen is one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands and the first to be recognized as such in Roman times. In 2005, it celebrated 2,000 years of existence.
Nijmegen became a free imperial city in 1230 and a Hanseatic city in 1402. Since 1923 it has been a university city with the opening of a Catholic institution now known as the Radboud University Nijmegen. The city is well known for the annual Vierdaagse — the International Four Days Marches Nijmegen event.