History Utrecht

1 history

1.1 origins (until 650)
1.2 centre of christianity in netherlands (650–1579)

1.2.1 prince-bishops
1.2.2 clerical buildings
1.2.3 city of utrecht
1.2.4 end of independence


1.3 republic of netherlands (1579–1806)
1.4 modern history (1815–present)

history

origins (until 650)

willem blaeu s 1652 map of utrecht

although there evidence of earlier inhabitation in region of utrecht, dating stone age (app. 2200 bce) , settling in bronze age (app. 1800–800 bce), founding date of city related construction of roman fortification (castellum), built in around 50 ce. series of such fortresses built after roman emperor claudius decided empire should not expand north. consolidate border limes germanicus defense line constructed along main branch of river rhine, @ time flowed through more northern bed compared today (what kromme rijn). these fortresses designed house cohort of 500 roman soldiers. near fort settlements grow housing artisans, traders , soldiers wives , children.

in roman times, name of utrecht fortress traiectum, denoting location @ possible rhine crossing. traiectum became dutch trecht; u old dutch uut (downriver) added distinguish u-trecht maas-tricht. in 11th-century official documents latinized ultra traiectum. around year 200, wooden walls of fortification replaced sturdier tuff stone walls, remnants of still found below buildings around dom square.

from middle of 3rd century germanic tribes regularly invaded roman territories. around 275 romans no longer maintain northern border , utrecht abandoned. little known next period 270–650. utrecht first spoken of again several centuries after romans left. under influence of growing realms of franks, during dagobert s reign in 7th century, church built within walls of roman fortress. in ongoing border conflicts frisians first church destroyed.

centre of christianity in netherlands (650–1579)

the dom tower seen downtown. remaining section of cathedral of saint martin not connected tower since collapse of nave in 1674 due storm.

by mid-7th century, english , irish missionaries set out convert frisians. pope appointed leader, willibrordus, bishop of frisians. tenure of willibrordus considered beginning of bishopric of utrecht. in 723, frankish leader charles martel bestowed fortress in utrecht , surrounding lands base of bishops. on utrecht became 1 of influential seats of power roman catholic church in netherlands. archbishops of utrecht based @ uneasy northern border of carolingian empire. in addition, city of utrecht had competition nearby trading centre dorestad. after fall of dorestad around 850, utrecht became 1 of important cities in netherlands. importance of utrecht centre of christianity illustrated election of utrecht-born adriaan florenszoon boeyens pope in 1522 (the last non-italian pope before john paul ii).

prince-bishops

when frankish rulers established system of feudalism, bishops of utrecht came exercise worldly power prince-bishops. territory of bishopric not included modern province of utrecht (nedersticht, lower sticht ), extended northeast. feudal conflict of middle ages heavily affected utrecht. prince-bishopric involved in continuous conflicts counts of holland , dukes of guelders. veluwe region seized guelders, large areas in modern province of overijssel remained oversticht.

clerical buildings

several churches , monasteries built inside, or close to, city of utrecht. dominant of these cathedral of saint martin, inside old roman fortress. construction of present gothic building begun in 1254 after earlier romanesque construction had been badly damaged fire. choir , transept finished 1320 , followed ambitious dom tower. last part constructed central nave, 1420. time, however, age of great cathedrals had come end , declining finances prevented ambitious project being finished, construction of central nave being suspended before planned flying buttresses finished. besides cathedral there 4 collegiate churches in utrecht: st. salvator s church (demolished in 16th century), on dom square, dating 8th century. saint john (janskerk), originating in 1040; saint peter, building started in 1039 , saint mary s church building started around 1090 (demolished in 19th century, cloister survives). besides these churches city housed st. paul s abbey, 15th-century beguinage of st. nicholas, , 14th-century chapter house of teutonic knights.

besides these buildings belonged bishopric; additional 4 parish churches constructed in city: jacobikerk (dedicated saint james), founded in 11th century, current gothic church dating 14th century; buurkerk (neighbourhood-church) of 11th-century parish in centre of city; nicolaichurch (dedicated saint nicholas), 12th century , 13th-century geertekerk (dedicated saint gertrude of nivelles).

city of utrecht

the location on banks of river rhine allowed utrecht become important trade centre in northern netherlands. growing town utrecht granted city rights henry v in 1122. when main flow of rhine moved south, old bed, still flowed through heart of town became ever more canalized; , wharf system built inner city harbour system. on wharfs storage facilities (werfkelders) built, on top of main street, including houses constructed. wharfs , cellars accessible platform @ water level stairs descending street level form unique structure. relations between bishop, controlled many lands outside of city, , citizens of utrecht not easy. bishop, example dammed kromme rijn @ wijk bij duurstede protect estates flooding. threatened shipping city , led city of utrecht commission canal ensure access town shipping trade: vaartse rijn, connecting utrecht hollandse ijssel @ ijsselstein.

the end of independence

in 1528 bishop lost secular power on both neder- , oversticht – included city of utrecht – charles v, holy roman emperor. charles v combined seventeen provinces (the current benelux , northern parts of france) personal union. ended prince-bishopric of utrecht, secular rule lordship of utrecht, religious power remaining bishop, although charles v had gained right appoint new bishops. in 1559 bishopric of utrecht raised archbishopric make religious centre of northern ecclesiastical province in seventeen provinces.

the transition independence relatively minor part of larger union not accepted. quell uprisings charles v struggled exert power on citizens of city, had struggled gain level of independence bishops , not willing cede new lord. heavily fortified castle vredenburg built house large garrison main task maintain control on city. castle last less 50 years before demolished in uprising in stages of dutch revolt.

republic of netherlands (1579–1806)

prince maurits in utrecht, 31 july 1618

in 1579 northern 7 provinces signed union of utrecht, in decided join forces against spanish rule. union of utrecht seen beginning of dutch republic. in 1580 new , predominantly protestant state abolished bishoprics, including archbishopric of utrecht. stadtholders disapproved of independent course of utrecht bourgeoisie , brought city under more direct control of republic; shifted power towards dominant province holland. start of long period of stagnation of trade , development in utrecht. utrecht remained atypical city in new republic 40% catholic in mid-17th-century, , more among elite groups, included many rural nobility , gentry town houses there.

the fortified city temporarily fell french invasion in 1672 (the disaster year); french invasion stopped west of utrecht @ old hollandic waterline. in 1674, 2 years after french left, centre of utrecht struck tornado. halt building before construction of flying buttresses in 15th century proved undoing of central section of cathedral of st martin church collapsed; creating current dom square between tower , choir. in 1713, utrecht hosted 1 of first international peace negotiations when treaty of utrecht settled war of spanish succession. since 1723 utrecht became centre of non-roman old catholic churches in world.

modern history (1815–present)

lange elisabethstraat



map of utrecht nowadays

in 19th century, role of utrecht fortified town had become obsolete. fortifications of nieuwe hollandse waterlinie moved east of utrecht. town walls demolished allow expansion. moats remained intact , formed important feature of zocher plantsoen, english style landscape park remains largely intact today. growth of city increased when, in 1843, railway connecting utrecht amsterdam opened. after that, utrecht gradually became main hub of dutch railway network. industrial revolution gathering speed in netherlands , ramparts taken down, utrecht began grow far beyond medieval centre. in 1853, dutch government allowed bishopric of utrecht reinstated rome, , utrecht became centre of dutch catholicism once more. 1880s onward neighbourhoods such oudwijk, wittevrouwen, vogelenbuurt east, , lombok west developed. new middle class residential areas, such tuindorp , oog in al, built in 1920s , 1930s. during period, several jugendstil houses , office buildings built, followed rietveld built rietveld schröder house (1924), , dudok s construction of city theater (1941).

during world war ii, utrecht held germans until general german surrender of netherlands on 5 may 1945. british , canadian troops had surrounded city entered after surrender, on 7 may 1945. after end of world war ii, city has grown considerably when new neighbourhoods such overvecht, kanaleneiland, hoograven (nl) , lunetten built. around 2000 city leidsche rijn housing area developed next extension of city west.

the area surrounding utrecht centraal railway station , station developed following modernist ideas of 1960s, in brutalist style. led construction of shopping mall hoog catharijne (nl), music centre vredenburg (hertzberger, 1979), , conversion of part of ancient canal structure highway (catherijnebaan). protest against further modernisation of city centre followed before last buildings finalised. in 21st century whole area being redeveloped. redeveloped music centre opened in 2014 original vredenburg concert , rock , jazz halls brought in single building.

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