Scenes from Utrecht



Of all the places I've lived (or even visited) in my life,I have to say that Utrecht is my favorite place. From April 2001 until July, 2002, Utrecht was my home. I was a Hoosier in Holland. The skyline of the Centrum of Utrecht is dominated by the Dom Tower, construction of which was begun in 1320. Counting the weather vane at the very top, the Dom Tower is 112.5 meters in height. You can take a tour (in Dutch and English) up to about 100 meters. This tour will take you through the bell towers and allows for a great view of the city and surrounding area. On a clear day, Amsterdam can be seen in the distance.
Dom Tower
Dom Tower


Utrecht is at least 2000 years old and lies in the central part of The Netherlands. This makes it the hub to the railroad system in The Netherlands. Utrecht Centraal Station is housed in the Hoog Catherijne, which is one of the largest malls in The Netherlands. The picture at right was taken on an early Sunday morning. Otherwise, there would be throngs of people staring at the board to see when their train was leaving.

Inside Utrecht Centraal
Inside Utrecht Centraal


Through the city centrum, runs the Oude Gracht (or old canal). Along the canal is a tree-shaded bi-level "wharf" where once barges traveled the canal bringing merchandise for the shops on the street level. Today, restaurants, shops and summer cafes have replaced the hustle and bustle of the wharfside commerce of older days. Many a summer's evening can be spent here with friends enjoying various foods and spirits.

Cafe along The Oudegracht
Cafe along the Oudegracht
I first saw Utrecht in April just after I arrived in The Netherlands. The weather had been filled with gloomy skies ever since I'd gotten here. I took the train from Rotterdam to Utrecht Centraal, found my way out of the train station with some effort and then headed for the apartment I was to see. I made it to the Oude Gracht near the Dom Tower and turned towards the apartment. As soon as I did that, the sun came out. The cobblestone street, small shops and canal made it such a beautiful journey. So, by the time I made it to the apartment, I was ready to move in. I have to say that I lost all bargaining power with my future Dutch landlord when the first words out of my mouth were: 'I want it!'
So, I moved into the rennovated 16th century apartment that you see below:
My apartment My apartment My apartment My apartment My apartment
My apartment My apartment My apartment My apartment Floor Plan My apartment from outside


Other scenes from Utrecht
Sand Sculpture in Utrecht Centraal Raising the Canal Bridge Along the Oudegracht Bakery along the Oudegracht
Along the Oudegracht Watchtower near Oudegracht Church along the Oudegracht Dom Tower
Dom Tower Dom Tower Dom Tower Dom Tower Gargoyles Bikes along the Oudegracht near Dom Tower
Church mosaic Church Mosaic Church Mosaic The Oudegracht Windmill near Oudegracht
The Church Tower The Church Tower The Church Tower Branch off The Oudegracht Branch off The Oudegracht
Courtyard near The Oudegracht Courtyard near The Oudegracht A main shopping street Empty market area
Empty bike stall near the market area American Import near the Market area Alley way near the Market area The Great Star The Catherijne Singel
Along Lange Smeestraat Apartment House


Links
Interactive Map of Utrecht
Official Utrecht Site
World Wide Utrecht (In English)
Utrecht Centraal Museum
Twijnstraat

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