Dom church and tower, Utrecht

The 112,32 meters high Dom tower, over 600 years old is the highest mediaeval tower in the Netherlands and the highest Utrecht building.

In 1674 a tornado destroyed the part of the church that was connected to the tower. It was never rebuild (well, there was a temporary reconstruction in 2004).

The tower can be visited only with a guide, which requires a climb of the 465 steps to get a breathtaking lookoff view.

Admittance fee: € 8,00 (adult)

Guided climb hours:
Daily: Noon; 1PM; 2PM; 3PM; 4PM

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The Dom van Utrecht (or Domkerk), or St. Martin's Cathedral was the cathedral of the diocese of Utrecht during the Middle Ages.

Once the country's largest church and only cathedral it has been a Protestant church since 1580.

The building is the one church in the Netherlands that closely resembles the classic Gothic style as developed in France.

Unlike most of its French predecessors, the Dom Church has only one tower, the 112 m high Dom Tower (Domtoren). It is the hallmark of the city. It is the highest church tower in the Netherlands and the highest building in Utrecht.

The construction of the gothic Dom Church started from 1254 continued well into the 16th century. The Dom Tower was started in 1321 and finished in 1382.

What remains of St. Martin's Cathedral today are the choir, the transept and the Dom Tower. The central nave of the cathedral collapsed in the storm of 1674 and is now a square with large trees, the Domplein. Stones in various colours indicate in the pavement the original outlines of the church.

VIDEO of my visit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtlspAi50OQ

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On the southside of the cathedral is a picturesque cloister with a garden in the center and a fountain with a bronze figure of a monk writing. The style of the architecture is gothic so how appropriate that part of the summer of darkness festival for the goths took place in the courtyard outside. Many of these goths were having their photo's taken within the cloister, I believe they must have been suffering with the hot weather and heavy clothing

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This church was once the countries largest cathedral gothic in style.
In the 1572 during the calvanist wave there was much vandalism, ornaments and statues in this church were smashed or destroyed. Actually its quite surreal to see these statues with their faces smashed - the calvanists smashed anything they believed was an idol.

The church was not in use and fell into a state of neglect, then in 1674 a storm caused the unfinshed and insufficiently supported nave to collapse so all the tower is completely separate from the church. There has been restoration work done in the 1980's

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You really can't miss the Gothic Dom church because of the 112mt high Church Tower. The Tower is open to the public. Before you attempt this, realize that there are 465 steps to climb to the top, the staircase also becomes narrow near the top, and not to go if you are afraid of heights. Its not suitable for anyone with mobility problems. The tour is done with a guide who stops frequently to explain things. On a clear day, you can see as far as Amsterdam. Cost 7.5 euro.
Have a look at the Cathedral, but don't miss the Cloister. Its a beautiful courtyard with a nice Herb garden in the centre.

I loved this tapestry done by Armien Visser. The size is 180 x240cm and herewith the symbolism behind it.
The colour red is the colour of love. In the centre is the dove - the symbol of peace and the Holy spirit. The nimbus with the cross within symbolizes Christ. When Jesus was baptised, a dove descended and Jesus received the spirit of the Lord., wisdon and understanding. On both sides of the tapestry we see the monogram of Christ in different forms.
At the bottom of the tapestry we see "the four Evangelists" characterised by their symbols:
Matthew with man as a symbol
Marc with the lion as symbol
Luke with the ox as symbol
John with the eagle as symbol.
The four evangelists symbolises the four main characteristics of Christ.
Man stands for humanity
Lion stand for kingship
Ox represents peace offering
Eagle symbolises the divinity of Christ.

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I loved this gothic old building with its great architecture. The Dom was built in 920 as a Roman structure. In 1253, the greater part of Utrecht was destroyed by fire. For more than a week, the town was scourged by this fire. St. Martin's Cathedral was also severely damaged. When the reconstruction of the church was started, a new kind of architecture was chosen: the (North French) Gothic. Probably, the Cathedral of Cologne served as an example for the new Utrecht Cathedral.

Visiting hours:
Mon-Sat 11.00-15.30
Sun 14-16

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We were too early for the opening of the Dom, so spend some time here in the herb garden. It was so nice and peaceful with only the raindrops disturbing the silence. The monastery was built during the 14th/15th century and it links the Cathedral with the Kapittelhouse.
In the middle of the garden is a lovely little fountain with a bronze statue of a monk writing (1913).