The St. Nicholas Chapel is the oldest building that is still standing on the Valkhof hill in Nijmegen (Nimwegen). The construction of the chapel started around 1030, although its octagonal design resembles the Carolingian Chapels in Aix-la-Chapelle, built late eight century. The chapel is closely linked to Theophano (960-991), the wife of the German emperor Otto II (955-983). This Byzantine princess introduced the Saint Nicholas of Myra. The empress died at the Valkhof palace in 1991. She was buried in Cologne. Her sun Otto III (980-1002) had the chapel built in memory of his mother. (Source: www. valkhof.nl).
St. Nicholas Chapel, Nijmegen. 1030. Photo: Eric Brouwer.