Irradiation device for irradiating an irradiation object with heavy charged particles, comprising a support for the irradiation object, and an irradiation nozzle irradiating a charged particle beam towards the irradiation object, wherein the beam is deflected within the irradiation nozzle, preferably by 90°, and wherein the support for the irradiation object is moveable at least horizontally and the irradiation nozzle is moveable at least vertically, characterized in that the irradiation nozzle is rotatable around a nozzle swivel axis along which the particle beam enters into the irradiation nozzle, and wherein (a) the device comprises a pivotable cantilever arm for effecting the vertical movement of the irradiation nozzle, the cantilever arm being pivotable around a cantilever arm swivel axis and comprising beam guidance means (46, 47, 48) adapted to guide the beam to the irradiation nozzle forming the end portion of the cantilever arm, wherein the particle beam enters into the cantilever arm along the cantilever arm swivel axis, and wherein the cantilever arm comprises a first beam deflector adapted to deflect the entering particle beam away from the cantilever arm swivel axis, preferably by 90°, and wherein the cantilever arm comprises, downstream from the first deflector, a second deflector adapted to deflect the particle beam into the irradiation nozzle, or (b) the device comprises a telescope arm adapted to effect vertical movement of the irradiation nozzle, the telescope arm comprising beam guidance means (56, 57, 58) for guiding the beam to the irradiation nozzle forming the end portion of the telescope arm, wherein the telescope arm comprises a telescope section of variable length and, at the downstream end of the telescope section, a deflector deflecting the beam into the irradiation nozzle, wherein the irradiation nozzle is movable vertically by variation of the length of the telescope section, or (c) the vertical movement of the irradiation nozzle is effected by arranging the beam source and the beam guidance means guiding the beam into the irradiation nozzle and the irradiation nozzle on a platform, the platform being at least movable vertically, or (d) the device comprises upstream from the irradiation nozzle a beam deflector allowing to deflect the beam to variable inclinations compared to the horizontal plane in such way that the beam can enter into the irradiation nozzle at various vertical elevations. (a) the device comprises a pivotable cantilever arm for effecting the vertical movement of the irradiation nozzle, the cantilever arm being pivotable around a cantilever arm swivel axis and comprising beam guidance means (46, 47, 48) adapted to guide the beam to the irradiation nozzle forming the end portion of the cantilever arm, wherein the particle beam enters into the cantilever arm along the cantilever arm swivel axis, and wherein the cantilever arm comprises a first beam deflector adapted to deflect the entering particle beam away from the cantilever arm swivel axis, preferably by 90°, and wherein the cantilever arm comprises, downstream from the first deflector, a second deflector adapted to deflect the particle beam into the irradiation nozzle, or (b) the device comprises a telescope arm adapted to effect vertical movement of the irradiation nozzle, the telescope arm comprising beam guidance means (56, 57, 58) for guiding the beam to the irradiation nozzle forming the end portion of the telescope arm, wherein the telescope arm comprises a telescope section of variable length and, at the downstream end of the telescope section, a deflector deflecting the beam into the irradiation nozzle, wherein the irradiation nozzle is movable vertically by variation of the length of the telescope section, or (c) the vertical movement of the irradiation nozzle is effected by arranging the beam source and the beam guidance means guiding the beam into the irradiation nozzle and the irradiation nozzle on a platform, the platform being at least movable vertically, or (d) the device comprises upstream from the irradiation nozzle a beam deflector allowing to deflect the beam to variable inclinations compared to the horizontal plane in such way that the beam can enter into the irradiation nozzle at various vertical elevations.