History
Utrecht is an ancient city with a long history. On June 2, 1122, Utrecht was granted special rights, making it one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands. These rights were the result of a battle between the bishop of Utrecht and Emperor Henry V, in which the inhabitants of Utrecht were forced to take sides.
Utrecht’s origins date back to Roman times, around the 1st century AD. The Romans built a fort called Traiectum on the Rhine River, where people could trade and defend themselves.
In the Middle Ages, Utrecht grew into an important religious center led by the bishop. The construction of the Dom Tower is a reminder of that time, along with the acquisition of city rights in 1122.
In the Golden Age and later, during the Enlightenment, Utrecht became a center of trade, art and knowledge. Famous artists and clever people came to the city, and there were many changes due to the ideas of the Enlightenment.
In the 19th century, Utrecht changed because of the Industrial Revolution. New factories came, many people moved to the city, and the roads improved.
In the 20th century there were many large expansions, with new neighborhoods to accommodate the rapidly growing population. At the same time, industry and railroads became increasingly important to the city. After World War II, the old city center was renewed and Hoog Catharijne was built. The past 20 years have also seen many changes around the train station.
Whether you start in the center or on the outskirts, each part has a long history. On our page at walking routes, you can take a route that focuses on history.
Sint Maarten
When these Franks conquered our Low Countries and also took possession of the former Roman castellum in Utrecht on the current Domplein, they built a small church there. When the Anglo-Saxon missionary Saint Willibrord came to the Low Countries in the seventh century to Christianize them, he settled in this old castellum; the beginning of the Utrecht church.
Name of Utrecht
The name Utrecht is a mix of Latin and Old Dutch. The suffix “-trecht” comes from the Latin word “traiectum,” indicating where to cross a river. In the Middle Ages, “Traiectum” was used for both Utrecht and Maastricht as place names. But later both places were given additional names to distinguish them from each other. The “U-” in Utrecht comes from the Old Dutch word “uut,” which means “down” or “flowing down.”