How we walked around Utrecht
"Great architecture is the greatest evidence of human greatness" F. Wright
First time I I heard about Utrecht when, after talking with a charming Dutchman, I asked where he was from. This Dutchman enthusiastically told me about his city, its inhabitants, traditions and customs, as well as interesting places to visit. Now, for many years now I have been living in Utrecht and sometimes, when I have free time, I go to the city center in order to enjoy the beauty and comfort of the old streets. This city surprises me, and every time I discover something new, whether it's history or the quirks of its inhabitants. There are many stories about Utrecht, I will tell you a few, and the rest. . . come and explore for yourself.
Dome Square can serve as a starting point. From there you can start your journey. If you look closely at the memorial plaque on the cathedral, you will find that the city was founded in 47 AD (1952 years ago). The first inhabitants of it were the Romans, who founded a fortress on the northern borders of the once formidable empire. This fortress served to protect the empire from external enemies, in particular the Germanic tribes. Archaeological excavations carried out recently have finally confirmed the age of the fortress and the date of foundation of Utrecht. Archaeologists have discovered the oldest masonry that served to found the fortress. It was supposed that the government would allocate money for the continuation of the work and restoration, as well as for the glass jar, but, unfortunately, nothing was done.
Let's return to our story about the founding of the city. After the Romans, somewhere in the middle of the 7th century, a missionary from northern England, by coincidence, or maybe by the will of fate, who ended up in Holland, founded a settlement on the ruins of a Roman fortress. Vilibrod, a missionary, became the first bishop of Utrecht. Under him, the construction of two churches began, one of which was reserved for believers, and the other for Anglican monks. Today, dark stone marks left on the square remind of this. Between the bell tower, towering above the square and the cathedral, you can see traces of walls and pillars, the ruined church.
The cathedral that stood on this site, unfortunately, has not been preserved. It burned down in a fire, and a new cathedral was built in its place, which has survived to this day. The bell tower, which is one of the highest monuments in Holland, as its height is 112 meters, is part of the cathedral ensemble, its construction was completed in the 14th century. But part of the enfilades connecting the cathedral with the bell tower has not survived to this day, as it was destroyed during a hurricane in 1674. (construction was carried out with insufficient funding - as we know it! - so the materials were taken the cheapest, and the structure itself was not strong enough). It took several decades before the debris was removed and the area was cleared.
Religion and trade
So, we all know from history that the power of the church and its authority is strengthened with the support of the ruling class, in our case, the bishop of Utrecht (his power and authority grows with the support and protection of the German emperor). 11th century Construction is carried out according to the plan developed by the bishop, the churches should be located in the form of a cross crossing the city. Even now, if you have the opportunity to look at the city from a bird's eye view, you can easily see the cross passing through the city.
The inhabitants of the city made a feasible contribution to the Vatican. One of them became the pope. The last non-Italian Pope was Adrian Florison of Utrecht. Then his name sounded like this: Adrian VI. But, unfortunately, he did not stay as Pope for long, from 1522 to 1523. A "Paus huis" residence was built for him in his hometown, but he never returned to Utrecht. Now his residence, located in the city center, is used for marriage ceremonies, by the way, the cousin of the future king of the Netherlands signed there last year.
The population of the city grew rapidly and by 1122 Utrecht received the status of a city, which means the final authority of the church. At the same time, trade flourished, most likely due to the economic advantageous location of the city, since it is located on the banks of two rivers (Ryik and Vecht). The first trade fair in the history of Europe was also held here, which brought together merchants from all over Europe. This fair was held in 1127.
Trade brought a considerable income to the city treasury, and not only. So many streets got their names from the markets located on them. “Vismarkt” - fish market, pork market - “Varkenmarkt”, “Ganzenmarkt” - goose market, Boterstraat - butter street, Kalvestraat - veal street. Wealthy merchants and landowners lived in fortified houses on the Old Canal (Oudegracht)... Their houses were fortified and so conveniently located that the cellars could be used as warehouses, since they overlooked the canal and boats with goods moored to them. A good example is the house that bears the romantic name "Kasteel Oudan".
Now one of the most expensive restaurants and bars is located there. By the way, the cuisine is excellent, French. As a connoisseur, I can tell you, because I go there, and I advise you to treat yourself sometimes.
Like all medieval cities, Utrecht was surrounded by a ring of canals and fortress walls with a deep moat so that no enemy could break into the city. In shape, they resembled a star, on the rays of which towers were erected. Guards lived there, now these towers are used as housing. The weird Dutch people think it's romantic. In summer weather, it is pleasant to walk along the fortress walls and the canal, from here you can enjoy a wonderful view of the old center
If you take a closer look at the map, you will definitely find that part of the old channel seems to have disappeared, it is not on the map. Actually it is not. In this part of the city, the canal is, as it were, covered by a road and a square, since a large shopping center is located in this place. There are rumors that the channel will soon be released outside. But for now, these are just plans.
To be continued
