Utrecht is a city of the Netherlands, chief town of the province of Utrecht. With its: 280000 inhabitants (at January 1st, 2006), it is the fourth city of the country. Located right in the middle of the Netherlands, this very dynamic city and coed are known today for her cathedral ( Dom ).

Also, there exists Utrecht in South Africa and another with the Suriname, heritages of the Dutchwoman presence.

History

The origin of the city goes back to a fortification Romaine started into 47 after JC. At that time, its name was Rheno Traiectum (later, Ultraiectum ), a border post close to a ford in the the Rhine. At the 6th century, Utrecht fell on the franque influence. In 690 the Irish missionary Willibrord settles in Utrecht, and this city will be for the Netherlands the center of the Christian faith during all the Moyen-âge. In 1122, Utrecht obtains its Charte of stamping. The bishops of Utrecht exerted also a secular power on all the province of Utrecht and the oriental party of Pays-Bas.
After the Middle Ages, new cities, become rich thanks to the trade, like Amsterdam, Leiden and Rotterdam started to become more important than Utrecht. After the signature of the Union of Utrecht the seat of évêché was given up and was restored only in 1723 (Église old woman-catholic); in 1853 the seat of évêché of the Roman Catholic church was rétabli.
April 11th, 1713, the treaty of Utrecht was signed there, which put an end to the War of succession of Spain. Since the opening of the railway line of Amsterdam Arnhem in 1843 Utrecht became the principal node of the Dutch railway network.

Culture

The old city of Utrecht has many tourist curiosities. The medieval churches, largest was the cathedral. Today there remains only half about it, since the terrible hurricane of 1674. The tower of the cathedral, with its 112 m height became the symbol of the city. The channels, bordered of terraces and greenery, give to quotes its famous charm.
There exists a university and an university in Utrecht, reason for which the city is student's (20% of the population).

In 2009, the town of Utrecht should accommodate the seventeenth edition of the international festival of choir singing Europa Cantat

Museums

• Aboriginal Art Museum (Museum of Australian indigenous art)
  
• Centraal Museum (Museum of the art and the history of the city. Tables of the school of Utrecht of the XVIIe century)
  
• Museum Catharijneconvent (Museum of the Christian culture of the Netherlands)
  
• Museum Van Speelklok early Pierement (Museum of automatic musical instruments)
  
• Spoorwegmuseum (Museum of the railroads)
  
• Universiteitsmuseum (Museum of the University)
  
• Volksbuurtmuseum Wijk C (Museum of the People)

Personalities

• Bartholomeus Breemberg there was born and died of 1620 with 1660

• Willem Vrelant, illuminator (v. 1449 - 1481)

See too

• Old people's home of Saint-Éloi

External bonds

• Official site
• Photographs of Utrecht and the Netherlands
• tourist UtrechtYourWay Information and reservation of hotels

Nds-nl: Utrecht (stad) Simple: Utrecht

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