Utrecht is a city and municipality in the Netherlands and the capital of the province of Utrecht. With 357,667 inhabitants on 1 August 2020, Utrecht is the fourth largest municipality in the Netherlands in terms of population. These inhabitants are divided over four residences, namely Utrecht with 307,840, Haarzuilens with 545, Vleuten with 27,180 and De Meern with 21,755 inhabitants. De Meern, Vleuten and Haarzuilens are originally villages. These three residences and the polder Rijnenburg to the south of De Meern now form the Vleuten-De Meern district. This district and the adjacent Leidsche Rijn district together form the Vinex location Leidsche Rijn, which had 91,104 inhabitants in 2020.
General
The municipality of Utrecht is surrounded by the
municipalities of De Bilt, Stichtse Vecht, Woerden, Montfoort,
IJsselstein, Nieuwegein, Houten, Bunnik and Zeist. The Utrecht
agglomeration (contiguous urban area) had 493,667 inhabitants on 1
January 2015 (source: CBS). The urban region of Utrecht (the former
BRU) had 660,873 inhabitants on that date.
Utrecht is the
most centrally located of the four largest Dutch cities. Within this
municipality, the important north-south running A2 and west-east
running A12 intersect. Other motorways that run through Utrecht and
start here respectively are the A27 and A28. Utrecht Central Station
is the largest railway hub in the Netherlands in terms of the number
of departing trains. The Amsterdam-Rhine Canal also runs through
this city, where inland vessels are busy.
Utrecht, together
with the three largest cities in the Netherlands and a number of
medium-sized cities, is part of the Randstad. Partly because of
this, Utrecht owes its favorable economic position.
Utrecht
was one of the first cities in the present-day Netherlands with city
rights, namely since 1122. The street plan of the current Utrecht
city center was created in the Middle Ages. Many houses here are
also of medieval origin, although in later times the majority of
them have been changed in layout and / or appearance. Yet many
monumental buildings have been well preserved. This applies in
particular to eight medieval churches, of which the Dom is the
largest and best known. The more than 112 meter high Dom Tower, from
which Utrecht derives its nickname Dom City, is the highest church
tower in the Netherlands. Furthermore, the low-lying yards along the
water of the Oudegracht and Nieuwegracht are special.
The
city of Utrecht has a long and in some periods turbulent history.
This dates back to Roman times at the beginning of our era, when the
Roman armies built their castellum. In the seventh century, a small
church was built on the site of the castellum. In the following
centuries, larger churches arose here. From there, large parts of
the present-day Netherlands were Christianized. In the 13th and 14th
centuries, Utrecht, situated on the river Rhine, was one of the most
important trading cities in Europe. With the rise of the County of
Holland, this trade moved there and Utrecht became less important,
although Utrecht remained the largest city in the Netherlands until
the early 16th century. After that, Utrecht gradually dropped to
fourth place in the ranking of the largest Dutch cities. In the year
1808, Utrecht was the capital of the Kingdom of Holland for a short
period. From the 20th century, Utrecht experienced a new period of
prosperity, now mainly due to its central location in the
Netherlands.
The average age of the Utrecht population is
relatively low due to the many students here. The best known and
largest educational institutions are Utrecht University and
Hogeschool Utrecht. Well-known Utrecht companies are NS, ProRail,
Rabobank, De Volksbank, ASR, SHV, Jaarbeurs Utrecht and Douwe
Egberts.
The two largest denominations in the Netherlands,
namely the Roman Catholic Church and the Protestant Church, as well
as the Old Catholic Church and the Remonstrant Brotherhood, have
their seat and / or head office in Utrecht. The Federation of the
Dutch Trade Union Movement (FNV) and the Christelijk Nationaal
Vakverbond (CNV) also have their headquarters in Utrecht.
Name
The name Utrecht comes from the Latin Ultraiectum and refers
to a place where in Roman times the river Rhine could be ford or
crossed. The 'U' comes from the Old Dutch word uut, which means
'downstream' - Utrecht must therefore be understood as 'Trecht
downstream' and in contrast to the other Trecht, Maastricht. Later
Utrecht was referred to as Traiecti Batavorum (or Trai / jecti
Batauorum, Trecht (Tricht) van de Bataven), for example as a
placeholder in books in Latin that were published in Utrecht.
Because of the Domtoren, the emblem of the city and with 112.32
meters the highest church tower in the Netherlands, the city is also
called Domstad. Two other nicknames are Utreg (in the city of
Utrecht) and Utka (in the multicultural slang of the Randstad).
During Carnival, the city of Utrecht is called Leemput, after
Cathrijn van Leemput.
A resident of Utrecht prefers to be called Utrecht rather than
Utrecht. This is due to the association by the so-called 'Utrecht
sodomy processes': on the Domplein, male homosexuals met each other
in the eighteenth century at the ruins of the collapsed nave of the
Domkerk (for whom there is a memorial stone between the church and
the tower). They were prosecuted by the government and 18 men were
sentenced to death. This made Utrecht a swear word for homosexual.
Shortly after the Second World War, one of the Utrecht newspapers of
that time, the Utrechts Nieuwsblad, decided to ban the word Utrecht.
Inhabitants of the city are also referred to as 'receptionists',
after the people of Utrecht who, hanging over the counters of the
bridges of the Oudegracht, watched the activity in the city and met each
other. 'Uitert' is the outdated name in dialect, and occurs
as family names 'van Uitert' and 'van Uijtert'.
History
On
and around the current Domplein is the place where the Romans around
50 AD. laid the foundations for the city of Utrecht. On the banks of
the Rhine they built the castellum Traiectum from wood and earth.
This fort was part of the defense belt along the northern border of
the Roman Empire, the so-called limes. Between 50 and 270 AD. the
castellum was rebuilt four times. After the departure of the Romans,
the Frisians and Franks fought for the fortress for a long time. The
remaining walls lived on as Trecht Castle.
In 690, the
Anglo-Saxon missionary and bishop Willibrord founded a spiritual
center with two churches within the largely deserted Utrecht border
post, to which a third was later added. From this developed the
complex of the Dom Church dedicated to St. Martin, the St. Salvator
Church and the chapel of the Holy Cross in between. From the eighth
century, with a break due to Vikings, a bishop sat in Utrecht, which
was therefore the religious center of the Northern Netherlands. From
the tenth century on, the bishop gained more and more secular power.
He then became the most important monarch in the Northern
Netherlands, who ruled the Sticht. In the immediate vicinity of the
castle, the flourishing trading district of Stathe was created,
where merchants and craftsmen settled. In the eleventh century, the
ecclesiastical center was expanded with three new collegiate
churches and an abbey, which together formed the Utrecht church
cross. In the same century, the bishop and the emperor added their
palaces to the castle.
On June 2, 1122, Utrecht was granted
city rights by Emperor Hendrik V. As a result, the bishop lost a lot
of influence on the city in favor of the new townspeople. These were
now allowed to surround the city, and in 1122 the construction of
the southern Oudegracht also began. The growth of the population is
evident from the fact that three new parishes were split off from
the oldest parish, that of the Buurkerk. Initially, the
administration of the city consisted of bailiffs and aldermen, but a
council was already formed in 1196, which is one of the oldest north
of the Alps.
From the twelfth century on, the power of
neighboring princes increased, while that of the Utrecht bishop
declined. Throughout the Middle Ages, especially Holland and Gelre
tried to incorporate parts of the Sticht. Within the city two
dominant parties arose, one of which was pro-Holland and the other
pro-Gelre. For centuries these parties have fought each other with
fire and sword. Repeatedly one can safely speak of civil war within
the city walls.
Despite this struggle and despite the
increasing competition from the Dutch cities from the thirteenth
century onwards, Utrecht remained the largest and most prosperous
city and the most important cultural center in the Northern
Netherlands. The wealthy built large stone houses along the
Oudegracht, especially after the use of brick became common around
the mid-thirteenth century. The characteristic wharves and wharf
cellars arose along the canal itself. Numerous monasteries settled
in the city. In 1253, among others, a major city fire took place in
Utrecht. The current Gothic Dom Church was then built from 1254
onwards, following the example of the great French cathedrals.
In 1304 the guilds made a successful rise to power, and they
would continue to play a major role in the city government until
1528. With the digging of the Nieuwegracht at the end of the
fourteenth century, the street pattern within the city was largely
completed and the city area was largely built up. The large number
of hospitals (shelters for the needy) that arose in this century is
striking. A prestige project in the fourteenth century was the
construction of the Dom Tower, one of the tallest towers built up to
that point.
The threat from neighboring states of the Sticht
remained great, and residents of the Nedersticht forced the bishop
to issue the Stichtse Landbrief in 1375, allowing them, as States of
the Nedersticht, to exercise control over the way in which politics
was conducted. The States of Utrecht consisted of representatives of
the clergy, the nobility and the cities. Due to its dominant
position, Utrecht occupied a predominant position in the
Parliamentary Assemblies. Due to further growth, Utrecht was the
largest city in the northern Netherlands until the mid-16th century.
In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, Utrecht also played
an important role in Dutch painting with its Utrecht School.
Well-known painters were the Renaissance painter Jan van Scorel, the
"Mannerists" Joachim Wtewael, Abraham Bloemaert and Paulus Moreelse,
the "Utrecht Caravaggists" Hendrick ter Brugghen, Gerard van
Honthorst and Dirck van Baburen, the "Italianisanten" Cornelis van
Poelenburch, Jan Both and Jan Baptist Weenix.
From the late
Middle Ages to the early 19th century, the city experienced various
periods of clashes and shifts between and within different powers,
including the reformation, guilds and occupation by Spaniards and
French. Utrecht University was founded in 1636.
From the
beginning of the 19th century, utilities were built and expanded in
a broad sense, which greatly improved the situation for the city.
The first urban expansion took place in the second half of the 19th
century. Before and - in particular - after the Second World War,
Utrecht would expand on a large scale. By 1925 a large part of the
population was employed in industry. Especially the metal industry
with companies such as Demka, Werkspoor and Jaffa was a major
employer. After the Second World War, Utrecht increasingly became a
service and knowledge center.
Geography
Utrecht is
centrally located in the Netherlands and in the province of Utrecht.
The city originated on a curvature of the Rhine, when the main arm
of the river that followed the course of the current Kromme Rijn and
Oude Rijn. A Roman castellum was located on the site of the current
Domplein. Today, a modest Kromme Rijn flows into Utrecht in the east
to leave the city canals like Vecht (north) and Leidse Rijn (west).
West of the city is the wide Amsterdam-Rhine Canal, to the south is
the Vaartsche Rijn, a much older canal.
To the west of the
city, 'across the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal', lies the suburban
expansion project Leidsche Rijn, the largest Vinex location and
new-build project in the Netherlands. A series of new housing
estates will house approximately 90,000 residents upon completion.
North, south and east of the city are some suburbs and commuter and
satellite cities. The metropolitan agglomeration coincides with the
BRU (Management Region Utrecht).
Administrative division
In 2019, the municipality has slightly more than 350,000 inhabitants
and has an area of 99 km² (of which only a very small part is
water).
The former municipality of Vleuten-De Meern has been
part of the municipality of Utrecht since 1 January 2001. On that
date, part of the municipality of Nieuwegein, namely the polder area
of Rijnenburg, was also added to the municipality of Utrecht.
After the annexation, the newly elected municipal council decided
not to alter the existing division into places of residence, namely
De Meern, Haarzuilens, Utrecht and Vleuten. However, it was decided
to slightly shift the boundaries between Utrecht and De Meern and
between Utrecht and Vleuten. This was related to the desired
district layout of some new-build neighborhoods.
Before the
annexation, the city of Utrecht consisted of eight districts, namely
Inner City, West, Northwest, Overvecht, Northeast, East, South and
Southwest. The annexation added two, namely Leidsche Rijn and
Vleuten-De Meern. The annexed area of the municipality of
Nieuwegein was assigned to the Vleuten-De Meern district, but to the
residence of Utrecht. Due to the reclassification of 2001, the
original intention was to delete the residences Vleuten, De Meern
and Haarzuilens from the postcode book and replace them with a
Utrecht postcode. Due to fierce protest from the population of the
former municipality of Vleuten-De Meern, this plan was not
implemented.
Regional classification
Utrecht is represented in at least
twenty regional collaborations, each of which has a different
composition.
Neighborhoods
The municipality of Utrecht
distinguishes ten districts administratively. These can be compared
with districts in other cities. The Utrecht neighborhoods are
divided into sub-neighborhoods and these in turn into neighborhoods.
Each neighborhood has a neighborhood office or a neighborhood
service center. The Vleuten-De Meern district also has a branch of
the Burgerzaken department of the municipality of Utrecht.
Each district has a district council committee, composed of city
councilors or their deputies, and each district also has a separate
district councilor. In addition, a neighborhood council has existed
since 2002, which has an advisory role and consists of residents of
the relevant neighborhood. The Utrecht neighborhoods (district
division since 2001) are:
Figures as of 1 January 2019 :. Total:
352,941 (100%)
01: City center 18,989 inhabitants (5.38%)
02: East 32,529 inhabitants (9.22%)
03: Leidsche Rijn 38,859
inhabitants (11.0%)
04: West 29,421 inhabitants (8.34%)
05:
Overfight 34,293 inhabitants (9.72%)
06: South 27,772 inhabitants
(7.87%)
07: Northeast 39,282 inhabitants (11.1%)
08: Southwest
38,428 inhabitants (10.9%)
09: Northwest 44,579 inhabitants
(12.6%)
10: Vleuten-De Meern 48,789 inhabitants (13.8%)
Sights
Utrecht has a historic center, which is completely
surrounded by a canal. The Oudegracht and Nieuwegracht run from
south to north, which are unique because of the yards, low quays on
which the wharf cellars of the houses on the canal end. After
Amsterdam and Maastricht, Utrecht has the largest number of national
monuments of all cities in the Netherlands. In 2009, the
municipality of Utrecht has more than 1400 national monuments, more
than 1600 municipal monuments, 4 archaeological monuments and 5
protected city / village views: Utrecht, Utrecht East, Utrecht -
Zuilen-Elinkwijk, Blauwkapel and Haarzuilens. The Rietveld Schröder
House is included on the World Heritage List.
Religious
buildings
Utrecht has many churches, chapels and other religious
buildings. The lists below are limited to national monuments and a
small selection of municipal monuments and other buildings. The
order in these lists is from old to young.
Churches and
chapels in the city center
Pieterskerk, dedicated to the Apostle
Peter, completed in 1048 in a Romanesque collegiate church with
two-tower front, founded by Bishop Bernold. He would have planned to
build a church cross in Utrecht. The Pieterskerk is said to
represent the head of the cross. However, the church cross theory
has not been proven. The Romanesque parts of the church, namely the
nave, the left side chapel of the choir and the crypt under the
choir, are very well preserved. The other parts of the church are
built in Gothic style. The infamous storm of August 1, 1674 caused
so much damage that it was decided to demolish the collapsed towers
and the bay between the ship. The church is now owned and used by
the Église Wallonne d'Utrecht.
Janskerk, dedicated to John the
Baptist, as well as the Pieterskerk founded by Bishop Bernold, but
built a little later. The Janskerk was also a collegiate church with
two towers. According to the church cross theory, the St. John's
Church represents the left arm of the cross. This church was
slightly smaller than the Pieterskerk, but the two churches are
built in an almost identical Romanesque style. During the
construction, however, the west side was changed and soon afterwards
the north tower was demolished. City fires in the 12th and 13th
centuries resulted in the ship's round columns being converted into
square pillars and the crypt being demolished. In the 16th century,
the Romanesque choir with side chapels was replaced by a larger and
much higher Gothic choir with Gothic side chapels. It was planned to
enlarge the remaining parts of the church in Gothic style, but this
plan was not implemented in connection with the Reformation. In 1682
the remaining tower was demolished and a new west facade built. The
Janskerk is now owned by the Protestant Municipality of Utrecht. The
congregation that holds worship services here mainly consists of
(former) students.
Dom, dedicated to Saint Martin, Gothic cathedral built between
1254 and 1517. This church replaced a Romanesque cathedral, which
Bishop Adelbold decided in 1015 to build. The history of the
churches on today's Domplein goes back to the introduction of
Christianity in the northern Netherlands. From the 7th century,
Utrecht was the center from which the Netherlands north of the major
rivers was Christianized. This vast area came under the diocese of
Utrecht. Immediately next to St. Martin's Church was the Oudmunster
or St. Salvator's Church. The two churches initially disagreed as to
which of the two could call itself the seat of the bishop. St.
Martin's Church eventually won this battle and was given the status
of cathedral or cathedral. According to the theory of the church
cross (see above), the Dom stood in the heart of the cross and the
Saint Salvator Church represented the right arm. The collegiate
church to the west of the Dom, the Saint Marie, would be the foot
end. The Dom Tower was built in the period 1321 to 1382. Its design
was revolutionary at that time due to the lack of buttresses on the
outside. With its height of 112 m, this church tower is the largest
and highest in the Netherlands. The oldest parts of the church are
modeled on Gothic cathedrals in Northern France. In this respect
too, this church is unique for the Netherlands. The transept was
built later than the choir, namely mainly between 1444 and 1475. The
construction of the nave started in 1484. Due to a lack of
sufficient resources, this was not completed. In 1517 the project
was discontinued. The tornado of August 1, 1674 (see at Pieterskerk)
blew over the 42 m high nave. The transept, choir and part of the
nave's southern aisles, together forming about half of the original
church, remained intact. In 1580 the church came into the hands of
the Protestants. The Protestant Municipality of Utrecht now owns the
church. The tower with the 13 bells and the carillon is owned by the
municipality of Utrecht. The adjoining cloister with pandhof is also
part of the Dom. The chapter house is now used as a university
auditorium. The Utrecht Dom attracts many tourists. In 2017, more
than 433,000 visitors entered the church.
Neighboring church,
dedicated to Saint Mary, five-aisled Gothic hall church with a 55 m
high tower. 'Neighbor' should be read as 'citizen'. The Buurkerk was
a parish church, intended for the bourgeoisie, in contrast to the
collegiate churches, where worship was maintained by canons. The
current Buurkerk largely dates from the 14th to 16th century, but
its oldest predecessor was founded in the 10th century, making the
Buurkerk parish the oldest of the four medieval Utrecht parishes. In
1580 the church fell into Protestant hands. This lasted until 1975,
when the district municipalities of the Domkerk and the Buurkerk
merged. The Speelklok Museum has been housed in the Buurkerk since
1984. In terms of surface area, approximately 2500 m², this church
is the largest in Utrecht.
Nicolai Church, dedicated to Saint
Nicholas and also called Klaaskerk by Utrecht residents, parish
church of which the Romanesque western front with two towers dates
from the 12th century. In later centuries this church was converted
into a Gothic hall church. This church is special for its organ
history and possessions. Until the end of the 19th century, an organ
from the Renaissance period stood here, one of the oldest playable
organs in the world. An organ by Witte replaced it. In 1956 this
organ was replaced by a modern organ, which became famous at home
and abroad, built by the Danish firm Marcussen och Son. A smaller,
slightly older organ in this church, the Sweelink organ, is also
from this firm. The Nicolaïkerk is owned and used by the Protestant
Municipality of Utrecht.
Jacobi Church, dedicated to the Apostle James the Greater, gothic
hall church from the 13th to 15th century. This church is located in
the Utrecht neighborhood district C and because the population in
this area grew rapidly, the church was enlarged several times, first
to the east, until the church almost touched the houses on the
Oudegracht, and then to the west, so that the tower in the church.
The tornado of August 1, 1674 broke off the slender, high spire. In
1953 the bourgeoisie gave the church a new spire, which is less high
and vulnerable than the previous one. Nevertheless, with a height of
63 m, this Jacobi tower is the second highest church tower in
Utrecht. In 1580 the church came into use by the Protestants. The
first pastors in this church were much less strict than most of
their colleagues. They managed to get the city council to adopt a
more tolerant attitude towards religious minorities. The church is
now owned and used by the Protestant Municipality of Utrecht. The
interior of the Jacobikerk is a fine example of a 17th-century
Protestant Dutch church interior.
Geertekerk, dedicated to
Geertruida van Nivelles, youngest and smallest of the four medieval
parish churches in Utrecht. The first Geertekerk, a simple
rectangular hall church, was built in the 12th century just outside
the then city. In the 13th century this church was demolished and
moved to its current location just inside the city walls. In the
14th and 15th centuries, the Geertekerk was provided with a tower
and enlarged. In the 1930s the church fell to ruin after being
abandoned by the reformed congregation. The Remonstrant municipality
of Utrecht saved this church from demolition in the 1950s. She
bought the ruin and rebuilt the church. In 1956 the Remonstrants
moved from their former church on the Kromme Nieuwe Gracht to the
Geertekerk.
Catharijnekerk, originally a monastery church
dedicated to Catherine of Alexandria, built in the 16th century in
late Gothic style. After the restoration of the episcopal hierarchy
in 1853, this church was designated as the cathedral of the
Archdiocese of Utrecht. In 1900 the church was enlarged by one bay
to the west and it was given a bell tower in late Gothic style.
St. Gertrudiskapel, one of the best-preserved Roman Catholic secret
churches in the Netherlands. This was converted into a medieval
house in the 17th century. The predecessor of this hidden church was
the Geertekerk (see above), which was assigned to the Protestants by
the government in 1580. The hidden church is now connected to the
old Catholic St. Gertrudis Cathedral via an intermediate space (see
below).
Lutheran Church, largely the chapel of the former St.
Ursula Monastery, founded by Abraham Dole in 1421. The Lutherans
initially met in a hidden church, but in 1745 they bought two houses
on Hamburgerstraat, demolished them and built a new part of their
church on the same site, connecting with the medieval chapel. The
interior of this chapel was adapted to that of the new extension. A
striking feature of this church is the crowning of the façade in
Louis XIV style.
Chapel of the Agnietenklooster, with nunnery,
built between 1512 and 1516. Since 1921, this chapel has been part
of the Centraal Museum.
Mennonite Church, hall church built in
1773, designed by Willem de Haan. The stylish, spacious entrance
with top floor is striking.
Saint Augustine Church, Waterstaat
Church designed by Karel George Zocher and completed in 1840. At the
front is a temple facade with high columns in neo-classical style.
Apart from the hidden churches, the Augustinuskerk was the first
Roman Catholic church in Utrecht built after the Reformation.
Saint Willibrord Church, very high neo-Gothic church, designed by
Alfred Tepe, completed in 1877. The rich and colorful interior was
created by members of the St. Bernulphus Guild. For a long time no
or only occasional services were held in this Roman Catholic Church.
In 2016, the Fraternity of Saint Pius X inaugurated the church and
holy masses are celebrated regularly. After the Dom, this church is
the most visited by tourists in the city of Utrecht.
St.
Gertrudis Cathedral, built in the neo-Romanesque style and completed
in 1914, an old Catholic cathedral. Next to this church is the
former Roman Catholic secret church of St. Gertrudis. When the Roman
Catholic Church was torn in 1723 and the Old Catholic Church was
created, this hidden church fell into the hands of the Old
Catholics.
Synagogue on Springweg, built in 1926 to a design by
Harry Elte. This former Jewish place of worship has a particularly
rich interior in Art Deco style.
Monasteries
Friars Minor Monastery, built by the Franciscans
in the 13th century. The current building of the Faculty of Law of
Utrecht University, located at Janskerkhof, remains from this
monastery. However, it has changed significantly over the centuries.
Regular Monastery, built in the 13th century, but rebuilt inside and
out many times after the monastery was closed. It served as the
Tivoli music venue for several decades, until it moved to the new
music center TivoliVredenburg. The company of pop musician Colin
Benders has been located in this former monastery since 2014.
German House, built around 1350 by the Teutonic Knights, a spiritual
knighthood that originated at the time of the Crusades. The church
of the monastery collapsed during the storm of August 1, 1674. The
other buildings have been preserved. The main building served as a
military hospital for a long time. Today Hotel Karel V is housed in
the buildings of the German House.
Catharijneconvent, built in
the Middle Ages by the Carmelites, at the time of Emperor Charles V
taken into use by the Johns, who had to leave their monastery at the
Catharijnepoort for the construction of the Vredenburg. 'Catharijne'
refers to Catherine of Alexandria, the patron saint of the Johns.
'Catharijneconvent' is therefore the name that the St Johns gave to
the existing monastery. The same goes for the monastery church, the
Catharijne church. The Catharijneconvent Museum is now housed in
this well-preserved monastery.
Saint Nicholas Monastery, built
around 1407. The late medieval building is particularly interesting
because of the gallery on pointed arches in the courtyard.
Carthusian Monastery Nieuw Licht on the Laan van Chartroise, built
in the 15th to 18th century. Only a gatehouse and a farm have been
preserved.
Agnietenklooster, built in 1421. In 1921 the building
was expanded with new wings for the Centraal Museum, which moved
into it. The monastery chapel is part of the museum building.
Genezzano Monastery of the Augustinian Sisters of Saint Monica on
the Waterstraat. This monastic community was founded in 1934 with
the assignment to work in the immediate vicinity, Wijk C. In the
second half of the 20th century, the monastery called itself Girls
City, because it focused on the care of homeless and threatened
girls and women. The current monastery building on the corner of
Oudegracht and Waterstraat dates from 1997.
Places of worship
outside the city center
Old St. Willibrord Church (Vleuten),
originally a three-aisled Gothic church, built around 1300. In 1580
this church was assigned to the Protestants, after which the choir
was demolished. In 1831 the church was further reduced by the
demolition of the two westernmost bays. In 1971, it was rebuilt to
its original size with restoration of the Gothic windows, but
without any further reconstruction of the medieval church. Only the
tower and the parts of the aisles to the left and right of the tower
are medieval. This church has a valuable organ built by Gideon
Thomas Bätz in 1809.
Chapel of Kasteel de Haar, probably
dedicated to Saint Steven, founded before 1420 as a daughter chapel
of the parish church in Kockengen. This chapel functioned for
centuries as the church of the village of De Haar, which was then
next to the castle. In the 17th century the castle and chapel began
to deteriorate. At the end of the 19th century, Baron Étienne van
Zuylen van Nyevelt van de Haar commissioned architect Pierre Cuypers
to rebuild the castle, chapel and outbuildings. In 1896, the chapel
was rebuilt in neo-Gothic style while retaining the medieval ground
plan, parts of the tower and some wall remains. The chapel located
on the castle grounds is not freely accessible.
Lebuïnuskerk
(Blauwkapel), the smallest gothic cross church in the Netherlands,
built in 1451.
Church of Our Lady of Heaven (Oudenrijn), one of
the oldest neo-Gothic churches in the Netherlands, built between
1857 and 1860. In 1940 the parishioners moved to their new church in
De Meern. The abandoned church was converted into a factory and
radically renovated. However, the special neo-Gothic roof
construction has been preserved. This former church is now in use as
a cultural breeding ground with the name Metal Cathedral.
Sint-Willibrordkerk (Vleuten), neo-Gothic church, designed by
Nicolaas Molenaar sr., Completed in 1885.
Former hall church
(Alendorp), built in 1896 for the recently established Reformed
Church of Vleuten and De Meern.
Saint Anthony of Padua Church
(Lombok), designed by the architects Jan Stuyt and Joseph Cuypers in
a neo-Romanesque style. The church building was completed in 1903,
the tower in 1924. This tower was built after the example of Italian
bell towers: narrow and somewhat detached from the church.
Nieuwe Kerk (Wittevrouwen), built in neo-Romanesque style in
1910, designed by architect Christiaan Posthumus Meyjes Sr .. The
Nieuwe Kerk was the first church in Utrecht to be built as a Dutch
Reformed church.
Marekerk (De Meern), built in 1913 in Art
Nouveau style as a Dutch Reformed church. This church replaced a
medieval chapel at the same place at the Meern Bridge, where the
village of De Meern originated.
R.K. Sint-Gertrudiskerk
(Rivierenwijk), designed by architect Wolter te Riele, completed in
1924. Utrecht has four churches dedicated to Sint-Geertruida van
Nivelles. The oldest is the medieval Geertekerk. After the
Reformation, this church came into the hands of the Protestants and
the Roman Catholic parishioners moved to their secret church, which
of course was also dedicated to Saint Gertrude (in Latin:
Gertrudis). In 1914, the old Catholic St. Gertrudis Cathedral was
built next to this hidden church. The youngest church dedicated to
Sint-Geertruida is the one in Rivierenwijk.
Sint Aloysiuskerk
(Schildersbuurt), large church in hexagonal shape with a high dome,
completed in 1924. The architect was Hendrik Willem Valk. This
church houses many valuable objects of visual art and an organ by
Abraham Meere from 1810.
Wilhelminakerk (Schildersbuurt), built
in 1931 in the style of the Amsterdam School.
Mariakerk (De
Meern), Roman Catholic church built in 1940 in the style of the
Delft School. The architect was Hendrik Christiaan van de Leur.
Sint-Dominicuskerk (Oog in Al), neo-Romanesque church in the style
of the Bossche School built in 1951.
Ulu Mosque (Lombok), a
mosque built in the period 2008 to 2015 at the head of Lombok with
two 44 m high minarets. The affairs within this mosque are under the
authority of the Turkish government.
Islamic Cultural Center
Leidsche Rijn (De Meern), mosque and cultural center opened in 2016.
The mosque board consists of members from the Moroccan community.
Non-religious buildings
In the city center there are many
buildings with a history that goes back to the Middle Ages.
Well-known are the Utrecht city castles, stone houses of wealthy or
noble families, which were mainly located within the medieval
trading district of Stathe. In later periods, representative
buildings were built in many more places throughout the city. The
list below shows eye-catching buildings, ranging from old to young.
Oudaen, Oudegracht 99, a fortified house from around 1280. In
the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, Utrecht had many of these
castle-like houses of wealthy patricians. Less well-preserved
include Drakenburg (Oudegracht 114), Kranestein (Oudegracht 55),
Fresenburch (Oudegracht 113) and Blankenburg (Oudegracht 121).
House Zoudenbalch in the Donkerstraat from 1467-1468 in late Gothic
style, with a striking natural stone facade, which was restored in
1903 after a fire.
Bartholomeïgasthuis on the Lange Smeestraat,
from 1367, consisting of a wing on the street with a chapel standing
at right angles to it.
Sint Eloyen Gasthuis, Boterstraat 22.
Since 1440, the house of the blacksmiths guild of Sint-Eloy has been
located here. The house is only open to visitors on National
Heritage Day (second Saturday in September). The entrance door /
gate dates back to 1644.
Paushuize from 1517, built by order of
Pope Adrian VI from Utrecht, who never lived in it. It is a late
Gothic building with typical stone and brick layers of "bacon".
Sonnenborgh and Manenborgh, two strongholds, remains of the city
fortifications from around 1550. Sonnenborgh is now in use as an
observatory.
Leeuwenbergh Gasthuis, a two-aisled hall, built in
1567 as a pest house, later used as a church. The gate building on
the city wall has disappeared.
Grote Vleeshuis on the Voorstraat,
built in 1637, possibly after a design by the painter Paulus
Moreelse.
Statenkamer, the former refectory of the Friary Minor
Monastery at the Janskerkhof with a gate from 1643. Now part of
Utrecht University.
De Krakeling, Achter Sint-Pieter, house from
1663 with striking ornaments and a special door. Built for Everard
Meyster, known for the Amersfoortse Kei.
Foundation of Renswoude
from 1757 by Joan Verkerk in rococo style. Originally an institution
that educated gifted orphans. Most of the sumptuous interior has
been preserved in its original state.
Shop van Sinkel on the
Oudegracht from 1839, designed by P. Adams in neoclassical style.
One of the first department stores in the Netherlands, striking
because of the four caryatids in the front facade.
City Hall of Utrecht on the Stadhuisbrug on the Oudegracht, with
a heavy neoclassical facade of natural stone from 1826-1847.
Building for Arts and Sciences at the Mariaplaats, built on the site
of the demolished Maria Church in 1844. Clara Schumann and Johannes
Brahms performed here. Currently conservatory.
Main building I of
the Dutch Railways from 1870.
Main Building II of the Dutch
Railways from 1893-1895 in neo-Renaissance style by architect J.F.
Riveter.
Ooglijdersgasthuis from 1894, at the F.C. Dondersstraat.
Designed by architect D. Kruijf. From 1894-1989 housed the
Nederlandsch Gasthuis for Needy and Disadvantaged Ooglijders. From
1990-2015 this was a location of the Hogeschool Utrecht.
Academy
building on Domplein in neo-Renaissance style, designed by E.H.
Gugel and Ferdinand Jacob Nieuwenhuis.
Pharmacy on Voorstraat 6,
the best preserved example of Art Nouveau in Utrecht, built in 1904
after a design by R. Rijksen Gzn.
PhRM at Janskerkhof 14, society
of the Utrechtsch Studenten Corps, built in 1901 and designed by
A.H. Zinsmeister.
Former Main Post Office on the Neude from 1918
by J. Crouwel in the style of the Amsterdam School. The hall with
its curved span is striking.
De Inktpot, the old Main Building
III of the Dutch Railways, a large brick building from 1918-1921,
designed by G.W. from Heukelom. ProRail has been located in the
building since 2003.
The world famous Rietveld Schröder House
from 1924, designed by Gerrit Rietveld. It is an example of De Stijl
architecture and has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since
2000.
Police station Tolsteeg on the Tolsteegbrug, a building
from 1926 in the style of the Amsterdam School. Now film house
'Louis Hartlooper Complex'.
The Forts near Utrecht as part of the
New Dutch Waterline, which has been on the Dutch Provisional List
for World Heritage by UNESCO since 1995.
Several buildings on
University grounds De Uithof are architecturally worth mentioning.
Examples include Rem Koolhaas 'Educatorium, Wiel Arets University
Library, Willem Jan Neutelings' Minnaert Building and Köther-Salman
Architekten's De Bisschoppen.
Ports
Orphanage gate on the
Springweg, built at the beginning of the seventeenth century using
older elements
Hofpoort on the west side of the Nieuwegracht
between Pausdam and Paulusbrug, a bluestone gate with Doric half
columns (third quarter of the 16th century and c. 1620)
Gate of
the Bisschopshof on the Servetstraat (1634)
Almshouses and
courtyards
Beyers rooms at the Lange Nieuwstraat / Agnietenstraat
(1597-1650)
Brunts at Lepelenburg (1621)
Chambers Maria van
Pallaes at Agnietenstraat (1651)
Mills
Rijn en Zon, a
flour mill in the Vogelenbuurt.
De Ster, a sawmill in the Lombok
district.
Lost buildings
St. Salvator's Church, located
next to the Dom. Demolished in 1587. The Dom had come into the hands
of the Protestants and apparently there was no need for a second
church on the same site.
Vredenburg Castle, the hated stronghold
of Emperor Charles V, was demolished by the Utrecht population in
the years 1577 to 1581.
Paul's Abbey, built on the initiative of
Bishop Bernold. The oldest parts, including the abbey church in the
same Romanesque style as the Pieterskerk and the Janskerk, were
built in 1050. Paul's Abbey gradually disappeared after the
Reformation. In the Hofpoort (dead-end side alley of the
Nieuwegracht) one arrives at the rear of the former courthouse, in
which a piece of wall from the abbey church from 1050 has been
incorporated.
The Mariakerk, collegiate church built in the 11th
and 12th century, as well as the two slightly older collegiate
churches, the Pieterskerk and the Janskerk, in Romanesque style.
However, the architecture of this church was clearly different from
that of the Pieters and Janskerk. Italian (Lombard) influences are
clearly discernible, as can be seen from the well-known painting by
Pieter Saenredam, which shows the wide western front with the towers
of the Dom and the Buurkerk in the background. Mary's Church fell
into disrepair when no more church services were held. In 1813 it
was largely demolished. Only the choir of the church remained in use
as a concert hall until 1844, when this too was demolished to make
way for the Building for Arts and Sciences. The only thing that has
been preserved of this church is a part of the cloister, which can
be seen and entered from the Mariaplaats.
Lofen Palace, in 1040 Emperor Henry III had this palace built, it
stood between the current Domplein and the Oudegracht.
The De
Utrecht building of the insurance company of the same name, an
example of Jugendstil architecture. The building was designed by J.
Verheul and was completed in 1902. In 1974 it was demolished for the
construction of the Hoog-Catharijne shopping center. Various
elements of the demolished building have been stored.
The former
Central Station by architect Sybold van Ravesteyn, replaced by the
Hoog-Catharijne shopping center.
Cemeteries / crematoriums
In terms of modern cemeteries / crematoria, the Soestbergen Cemetery
was built in the first half of the 19th century. Sint Barbara
Cemetery was designed around 1870 by Alfred Tepe and includes
various graves of Roman Catholic archbishops. Kovelswade dates back
to the early 20th century. Tolsteeg cemetery was built in 1931 to a
design by Krijn Perk Vlaanderen, landscaper and park master of the
municipality of Utrecht; there is an auditorium designed by
architect Gosse van der Gaast in the style of the New Objectivity.
Cemetery / crematorium Daelwijck from around 1967 has an auditorium
designed by architect H. Dam.
Monuments
Jewish monument
with 1239 names of Jewish people from Utrecht.
Shop
To the
west of the center is the station with the attached shopping and
office complex Hoog Catharijne, which has been controversial since
its existence, both for its architecture and the deterioration that
occurred, making it a sanctuary for drug users. However, since the
beginning of 2000 a lot of time and money has been spent to improve
this living environment. In 2006 they won a Dutch and European prize
for this. A major overhaul of the entire station area started in
2008 (see CU2030). For example, the canal around Utrecht will be
restored and Vredenburg will be radically renovated. There will also
be a small harbor on the Smakkelaarsveld that will reconnect the
canal with the Leidse Rijn.
Since the early 1980s,
Woonboulevard Utrecht has been located on the south side of the
city, an area where 63 shops are located.
Markets
There
are various markets in Utrecht such as:
Breedstraat on Saturday
morning from 8:00 am - 1:00 pm (the 'cloth market')
Jacobskerkhof
on Saturday from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Janskerkhof on Saturday from
7:00 am - 5:00 pm (the flower market)
Plantage on Wednesday
morning from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Oudegracht / Bakkerbrug on
Saturday from 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Smaragdplein/ Emerald Square on
Tuesdays from 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Van Starkenborghhof on Friday
from 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Vredenburg on Wednesday from 10:00 AM -
5:00 PM, Friday from 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM and Saturday from 8:00 AM -
5:00 PM
Zamenhofdreef on Thursday morning from 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM