map

The Heilig Landstichting (Holy Land Foundation) was founded in 1911 in the village of Groesbeek, just outside of Nijmegen, by the priest Arnold Suys after a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The purpose of the foundation was to teach about Palestine and the life of Christ. The foundation built a small village along with a church, monasteries and an open air museum.

The Cenakelkerk (Church of St. Antonius of Padua) [right] was constructed in 1913–1915 after a design by Jan Stuyt. A second church, the Holy Heart Basilica (Heilig Hartbasiliek), was begun in 1933 but the construction was left unfinished in 1936.