Arsenaal 1824 is located in the Vlaams Arsenaal, right in the heart of Nijmegen. This impressive building was constructed between 1820 and 1824 on the foundations of an old monastery and was declared a national monument in 1973. Originally serving as a weapons arsenal, the building has been repurposed multiple times since the early 19th century.
Around 1426, the Mons Mariae (Mariaberg) monastery, later known as Mariënburg, was founded. The name refers to Saint Mary and the monastery's location on one of Nijmegen’s hills. In 1591, during the Eighty Years’ War, Nijmegen was conquered by Prince Maurice of Nassau. Following the conquest, Catholicism was banned, and the monastery was repurposed as barracks and a military hospital.
Over the centuries, the complex alternated between military uses and periods of industry and culture. Various craftsmen, such as bell-founders and cloth merchants, practiced their trade within the monastery buildings. The adjacent chapel served diverse purposes, functioning as a painting studio, theater, and city music hall, playing a key role in Nijmegen’s cultural life.
In 1815, after the Kingdom of the Netherlands was established, the state purchased the land surrounding the Mariënburg chapel. In 1820, the monastery buildings were demolished to make way for new barracks. By 1824, the L-shaped Arsenal was constructed on the monastery’s foundations, adjacent to the south side of the chapel. The chapel itself was later converted into a cotton and yarn spinning mill and eventually became a military warehouse.
By 1905, the last soldiers left the buildings. Parts of the structures were demolished, and the city debated the fate of the Arsenal and the deteriorating chapel. In 1908, the decision was made to restore the chapel and demolish part of the Arsenal. The remaining section became municipal property and was used as a city workshop.
In 1938, plans arose to transform the Arsenal into a municipal archive. However, World War II delayed the project, and the workshop returned after the war. Finally, in 1975, the municipal archive moved into the Arsenal after a major renovation and remained there until 2001.
At the end of the 1990s, the Arsenal was included in the redevelopment plans for the Mariënburg area. Between 1998 and 2000, the entire surrounding area underwent extensive renovations. Among other changes, the adjacent police station and the Social Affairs office building were demolished, and the Marikenstraat and Moenenstraat were constructed. Around the Mariënburg Chapel, the Arthouse LUX and the new library were built. In 2001, the municipal archive moved from the Arsenal to the adjacent new library.
In 1999, the Nijmegen municipality asked several parties via a competition to submit proposals for a commercial and cultural use of the Arsenal. The municipality chose the plan 'Flemish Quarter', developed by architect Paul van Hontem and the Flemish Cultural Quarter Foundation. According to this plan, the catering establishment 'Vlaams Arsenaal' was realised on either side of the new gateway, which forms the connection between Marikenstraat and Moenenstraat. Cultural institutions were housed on the first and second floors of the building. The renovated national monument was festively opened on 23 May 2006.
Originally, the emphasis at the Vlaams Arsenaal was on burgundy enjoyment, with many Belgian specialities on the menu. However, after 11 successful years, the business changed hands in spring 2017. The new owner of both the Grand Café and Restaurant and the national monument decided to renew the Arsenal further. As a first step, he changed the name to 'Arsenaal 1824'. Since then, the cuisine is no longer specifically Belgian, but French, Mediterranean and Oriental oriented.