Rent a Home in Sonsbeek and Burgemeesterswijk, Arnhem

The Burgemeesterswijk (Mayor's District) originated from 1885 on the grounds of the Sonsbeek estate. What began as a villa district for the Arnhem elite has, in many ways, remained so. The streets bear the names of former mayors: Bouriciusstraat, Brantsenstraat, Van Pallandtstraat, Van Nispenstraat. The architecture reflects half a century of building history. Early villas in chalet style, followed by Amsterdam School, Nieuwe Bouwen (New Objectivity), and Delftse School. Architects like De Bazel and Diehl drew their designs here.

The neighborhood has 2,915 residents (2025) and 1,431 homes. What's striking: 67% of these are apartments, despite its villa character. Many original properties have been subdivided over the decades. Renting a home in Sonsbeek or the Burgemeesterswijk often means living in an apartment with high ceilings and original details, in a building once designed as a single-family villa.

Burgemeesterswijk: Architecture on the Hill

The northern part of the Burgemeesterswijk features detached villas and semi-detached houses on spacious plots. Between Van Pallandtstraat and Pels Rijckenstraat are the earliest examples, dating from the beginning of the twentieth century. On the corner of Zijpendaalseweg is a villa from 1928-1929 by architect Willem van der Leck, characteristic of the transition from traditionalism to modernism.

The southern half is more densely built. Here, most villas have been divided into apartments. Burgemeestersplein forms the center. Cordesstraat, Jollesstraat, and Roellstraat, laid out after 1910, mark the northeastern expansion of the district.

58% of households are single. The average household size is 1.7 persons. This is no longer a family neighborhood. It's couples, single professionals, and retirees who live here. The tranquility, the space between the facades, and the proximity to the park determine its appeal.

Sonsbeekpark: 67 Hectares on Your Doorstep

Sonsbeekpark is not a city park you visit. It's a landscape you use daily. 67 hectares, designed by J.D. Zocher in English landscape style, open to the public since 1899. Ancient beech forests, irregular ponds, rolling hills following the ice-pushed ridge.

The Great Waterfall is the most photographed spot. Baron van Heeckeren had it built in 1826 for 70,000 guilders. Boulders from Kootwijkerzand form a grotto where you can stand behind the falling water. The water comes from the Sonsbeek, a stream running from the Zijpendaal hills to the Rhine.

Huis Sonsbeek, the white villa on the hilltop, served as a hotel in the early twentieth century. The view extends over the park to the city center. The Netherlands Water Museum has been housed in the former Begijnenmolen on Zijpendaalseweg since 2004. The White Water Mill, the Ice Cellar, the Steep Garden, and lookout tower De Belvedere are spread throughout the park.

Gulden Bodem and the Outskirts

North of the Burgemeesterswijk lies Gulden Bodem, a neighborhood of 1,260 residents, built in two phases: the 1920s and 1930s, and the 1950s. Gulden Bodem Park, also known as Gravinnenbos, is a former country estate and has been a national monument since 2006. The neighborhood borders Zijpendaal Park and forms the transition to the forest.

To the east lie Hoogkamp and Sonnenberg. Spacious 1930s neighborhoods with stately homes and apartments with views. The tree cover is denser here. These are neighborhoods where you hear a wood pigeon in the morning instead of traffic. For renters seeking space and green but wanting to stay within Arnhem, these are options outside Burgemeesterswijk itself.

The Netherlands Open Air Museum and Burgers' Zoo are two to three kilometers away, accessible via Schelmseweg. This proximity is more than a nice fact. It means the landscape around these neighborhoods won't be built up. The Veluwezoom begins where the streets end.

The Rental Market in These Districts

Renting a home in Sonsbeek or the Burgemeesterswijk is not easy. The combination of architecture, park, and tranquility attracts renters who find the city center too busy but still want to live centrally. Arnhem Central Station is a ten-minute bike ride away. The city center, five minutes.

The supply is limited. Of the 1,431 homes in the Burgemeesterswijk, 38% are rentals, and most of those are in the private sector. Homes do not become available often. Those who want to rent here must combine patience with speed: search for a long time, but respond on the same day.

The WOZ value (property valuation) in Burgemeesterswijk in 2025 was on average 82% higher than in 2013. This increase in value translates into rental prices. These are not starter neighborhoods. They are districts for renters with a higher income who prioritize architecture and nature over square meters.