A lithographic apparatus including a radiation attenuator or a variable aperture system, such as masking blades, arranged in or adjacent an intermediate focus of the projection system. Besides a radiation attenuator or a variable aperture system, a measuring system may be arranged in the intermediate focus. By placing one or more of such systems in or adjacent the intermediate focus of the projection system, instead of adjacent the reticle in the illumination system, fewer design restrictions occur because of more space available, resulting in a lower design cost.