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The
history of the city of Utrecht
The
beginning
Utrecht was established by the Romans in 47 AD as an outpost on the
south bank of the Crooked Rhine at a fordable point (called a Trajectum
in Latin). It was one of the forts on the northern borders of the Roman
Empire intended to ward off invasions from Germania. The remains of this
fort were discovered during excavations in and around the Dom Square. In
the late 7th century, Willibrord, a missionary from the north of
England, settled on the site of the ruins. He became the first Bishop of
Utrecht. His small church stood on the site of the present-day Dom
Square.
Following the Viking invasions, the bishop became an influential ruler
protected by the German emperor, who exercised secular power over the
Northern Netherlands. In the 11th century, one of the manifestations of
his power and wealth was the construction of a number of churches, which
together form the pattern of a cross spanning the old city, with the
cathedral at its centre.
The population of Utrecht grew in size and prosperity during this
period, and Utrecht was enfranchised as early as 1122. In 1127, Bishop
Godewald gave permission to establish an annual fair, giving Utrecht the
first trade fair in Europe. Rich merchants and landowners lived in
fortified houses on the Oude Gracht, the city's main canal with its
unique wharves and canal-side paths. Consequently Utrecht developed into
the centre of religious and secular power in the Northern Netherlands.
 The
Union of Utrecht
Construction of the Dom church began in the late 13th century. The
church displays strong architectural influences from France and Cologne
and was completed, together with its 112-metre tower, in the 14th
century.
The last non-Italian Pope before John Paul II was Adrian Floriszoon of
Utrecht, professor at the University of Leuven. He was tutor to Erasmus
of Rotterdam and to Emperor Charles the Fifth. His papal name was
Hadrian VI and he served as Pope between 1522 and 1523. He ordered the
construction of the Paushuize (Papal Residence), a palace in the centre
of Utrecht.
In 1579, the famed Union of Utrecht was formed in the large kapittelzaal
(chapter house), which is now the university auditorium. In signing this
document, the provinces of the Netherlands, which had rebelled against
the rule of Philip II of Spain under the leadership of the brothers
William of Orange and John of Nassau of the house of Orange-Nassau, were
officially united. This was a preamble to the Placaet van Verlaetinghe,
the Northern Provinces' secession from Spanish rule, a few years later
and the formation of the powerful Republic of the Seven United
Netherlands, the first republic in post-medieval Europe. In Dom Square,
in front of the Academiegebouw (Academy Building), the Union of Utrecht
is recalled to mind by the statue of John van Nassau. The members of the
present Dutch royal family are directly descended from him through the
male line and not, as is often erroneously stated, from William of
Orange
The
Golden Age and after
From the 16th century onwards the central focus of economic development
in the Republic lay in the provinces of Holland and Zealand. These
provinces became the richest and most densely populated in the Republic,
with important cities such as Amsterdam, Haarlem, Leiden, Delft,
Rotterdam, Dordrecht and later also The Hague. Utrecht remained one of
the most important cities in the Republic. No other town can offer such
a comprehensive view of 16th and 17th century painting in the North. The
Central Museum in Utrecht owns a representative collection of old Dutch
masters from the Golden Age.
In 1713, the Treaty of Utrecht was signed in the building that today
houses main building of the Faculty of Law in the Janskerkhof. It
signified the end of the end of the Spanish War of Succession. Händel
composed his famous 'Utrecht Te Deum' for this occasion.
During the 18th and 19th century Utrecht remained an important city and
played an essential role in the economic and cultural development of the
Netherlands.
Utrecht
today
International
crossroads
Utrecht is now the fourth largest city in the Netherlands, after
Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague. Situated in the centre of the
country, the city lies at the crossroads for transport, art, knowledge,
service and commerce. The importance of its central location is
illustrated by the fact that the Dutch National Railways have chosen
this city to locate their headquarters. Central Station is the third
largest 'port of access' into the Netherlands: a 'railport' alongside
the seaport of Rotterdam and Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam. The city
owes its importance to its favourable location within the 'Randstad',
and not only in relation to the northern and eastern provinces in the
Netherlands, but also for regions further afield in Europe.
Many international companies have chosen Utrecht as their base, mainly
business services (banks and insurance companies such as Rabo, VSB,
Fortis-Amev, and Reaal), wholesale and communications companies (with
computer companies such as Volmac, Digital Equipment and IBM Nederland)
and distribution companies.
Centre
of knowledge in the Netherlands
More than eighty percent of all employment in Utrecht is generated by
the service industry, including a large representation of important
institutes in the fields of education and research. The city of Utrecht
has almost 300,000 inhabitants, the middle of the Netherlands more than
2 million. It is not only because of its central location and excellent
connections that Utrecht has become such a popular town of residence for
so many large companies, but also of the pleasant living environment in
and around the city. The availability of motivated and skilled personnel
is another stimulating factor for the region with the highest number of
highly-educated people in the country. Utrecht's position in the field
of education has formed the basis for this. Over 50,000 students study
at the university and schools for higher education. The presence of
these high quality knowledge institutes co-operating in the
'Kenniscentrum Utrecht' (Utrecht Centre of Knowledge) has turned this
region into the Centre of Knowledge for the Netherlands
A
Business and cultural meeting place
Because of the central location and economic activity, Utrecht has
become an important meeting place for people from all over the country,
and from further afield. The city attracts seven million visitors a
year, among them many from abroad. Throughout the year there are
congresses, trade fairs and festivals taking place in Utrecht. The
Jaarbeurs (Royal Dutch Fairs) hosts more than 100 trade and public
exhibitions a year, bringing 2 million visitors to the city.
Undoubtedly, the varied cultural climate contributes to the city's
ability for drawing people: the prominent museums, the
internationally-renowned music and drama events. Quite rightly Utrecht
is called the Festival City of the Netherlands, with the festival of Old
Music, the Dutch Film Festival, the Holland Animation Film Festival,
blues and jazz festivals, the dance festival 'Springdance', the drama
festival 'Theater aan de Werf'. International musicians, from classical
to pop, find their way to the stage of the 'Muziekcentrum Vredenburg',
which has close ties with Dutch television.
Historical
city centre and varied areas of natural beauty
In the relatively small historic city centre with its characteristic
canals and wharf cellars, there is a wealth of quality art and plenty of
lively entertainment. The abundance of museums, such as the University
Museum, the Central Museum, the 'Rijksmuseum Catharijne Convent', the
museum 'van Speelklok tot Pierement' (from Musical Box to Barrel Organ)
and the 'Spoorwegmuseum' (the Netherlands Railway museum) offer both
visitors and inhabitants a view of many centuries past.
In addition, the countryside around the city offers a pleasant, varied,
rural atmosphere. The well-known polders and pastures of the west
country, the lakes in the northern area, the sand and woods of the
'Utrechtse Heuvelrug' to the east and the wide and open countryside of
the rivers to the south. The presence of such varied and attractive
areas close to the lively, historic inner city make Utrecht a valued and
popular residence in the Netherlands.
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