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This is a list of towns, cities, and villages in the province of Utrecht in the Netherlands.
The largest urban network is known as Randstad, including the largest four cities in the Netherlands: Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht. Of these, 3 have historic city rights: Utrecht from 1122; Amsterdam from 1306; and Rotterdam from 1340.
- History
- Geography
- Population
- Cityscape
- Transport
- Economy
- Education
- Culture
- International Relations
- See Also
Origins
Although there is some evidence of earlier inhabitation in the region of Utrecht, dating back to the Stone Age (app. 2200 BCE) and settling in the Bronze Age (app. 1800–800 BCE), the founding date of the city is usually related to the construction of a Roman fortification (castellum), probably built in around 50 CE. A series of such fortresses were built after the Roman emperor Claudius decided the empire should not expand further north. To consolidate the border, the Limes Germanicus defense...
Centre of Christianity in the Netherlands
By the mid-7th century, British, English and Irish missionaries set out to convert the Frisians. Pope Sergius I appointed their leader, Saint Willibrordus, as bishop of the Frisians. The tenure of Willibrordus is generally considered to be the beginning of the Bishopric of Utrecht. In 723, the Frankish leader Charles Martel bestowed the fortress in Utrecht and the surrounding lands as the base of the bishops. From then on Utrecht became one of the most influential seats of power for the Catho...
Republic of the Netherlands
In 1579 the northern seven provinces signed the Union of Utrecht treaty (Dutch: Unie van Utrecht), in which they decided to join forces against Spanish rule. The Union of Utrecht is seen as the beginning of the Dutch Republic. In 1580, the new and predominantly Protestant state abolished the bishoprics, including the archbishopric of Utrecht. The stadtholders disapproved of the independent course of the Utrecht bourgeoisie and brought the city under much more direct control of the republic, s...
Climate
Utrecht experiences a temperate oceanic climate (Köppen: Cfb) similar to all of the Netherlands.
Demographics
Utrecht city had a population of 361,924 in 2022. It is a growing municipality and projections are that the population will surpass 392,000 by 2025.As of November 2019, the city of Utrecht has a population of 357,179. Utrecht has a young population, with many inhabitants in the age category from 20 and 30 years, due to the presence of a large university. About 52% of the population is female, 48% is male. The majority of households (52.5%) in Utrecht are single-person households. About 29% of...
Inhabitants by origin
For 62,8% of the population of Utrecht both parents were born in the Netherlands. Approximately 12.4% of the population consists of people with a recent migration background from Westerncountries, while 24.8% of the population has at least one parent who is of 'non-Western origin' (8.8% from Morocco, 4% Turkey, 3% Surinam and Dutch Caribbean and 9.1% of other countries).
Religion
Utrecht has been the religious centre of the Netherlands since the 8th century. Currently it is the see of the Metropolitan Archbishop of Utrecht, the most senior Dutch Roman Catholic leader. His ecclesiastical provincecovers the whole kingdom. Utrecht is also the see of the archbishop of the Old Catholic Church, titular head of the Union of Utrecht, and the location of the offices of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands, the main Dutch Protestant church. As of 2013, the largest religion...
Utrecht's cityscape is dominated by the Dom Tower, the tallest belfry in the Netherlands and originally part of the Cathedral of Saint Martin. An ongoing debate is over whether any building in or near the centre of town should surpass the Dom Tower in height (112 m [367 ft]). Nevertheless, some tall buildings are now being constructed that will bec...
Public transport
Because of its central location, Utrecht is well connected to the rest of the Netherlands and has a well-developed public transport network.
Cycling
Like most Dutch cities, Utrecht has an extensive network of cycle paths, making cycling safe and popular. 33 % of journeys within the city are by bicycle, more than any other mode of transport. (Cars, for example, account for 30% of trips). Bicycles are used by young and old people, and by individuals and families. They are mostly traditional, upright, steel-framed bicycles, with few gears. There are also bucket bikes for carrying cargo such as groceries or small children. Thanks in part to t...
Road transport
Utrecht is well-connected to the Dutch road network. Two of the most important major roads serve the city of Utrecht: the A12 and A2 motorways connect Amsterdam, Arnhem, The Hague and Maastricht, as well as Belgium and Germany. Other major motorways in the area are the Almere–Breda A27 and the Utrecht–Groningen A28. Due to the increasing traffic and the ancient city plan, traffic congestion is a common phenomenon in and around Utrecht, causing elevated levels of air pollutants. This has led t...
Production industry constitutes a small part of the economy of Utrecht. The economy of Utrecht depends for a large part on the several large institutions located in the city. It is the centre of the Dutch railway network and the location of the head office of Nederlandse Spoorwegen. ProRail is headquartered in De Inktpot[nl] (The Inkwell), the larg...
Utrecht hosts several large institutions of higher education. The most prominent of these is Utrecht University (est. 1636), the largest university of the Netherlands with 30,449 students (as of 2012[update]). The university is partially based in the inner city as well as in the Uithof campus area, on the east side of the city. According to Shangha...
Utrecht city has an active cultural life, and in the Netherlands is second only to Amsterdam. There are several theatres and theatre companies. The 1941 main city theatre was built by Dudok. In addition to theatres, there is a large number of cinemas including three arthouse cinemas. Utrecht is host to the international Early Music Festival (Festiv...
Twin towns
Utrecht is twinnedwith: 1. León, Nicaragua 2. Brno, Czech Republic 3. Pekanbaru, Indonesia 4. previously Hannover, Germany, between 1970 and 1976
Other relations
1. Portland, Oregon, United States as a friendship city
- Enjoy the views of Utrecht at the Dom Tower. Once the religious capital of the Netherlands, this quaint, medieval city radiates around the 13th-century Dom Tower — the tallest church tower in the Netherlands.
- Find some peace and quiet at St. Martin’s Cathedral, Utrecht. Get ready for the historical, architectural, and religious hotspot of Utrecht. The St. Martins Cathedral, once the largest church in the Netherlands, used to be connected to the Dom Tower.
- Travel back in time at DOMunder in Utrecht. Ready for a deep dive (quite literally) into history? Or maybe the Dutch weather got to you, and you need an escape from the rain?
- Let your inner musician loose at the Speelklok Museum in Utrecht. Here’s one for music enthusiasts! The Speelklok Museum is located in an old church, the Buurkerk, and is a fun thing to do in Utrecht for travellers of all ages.
Its the fourth largest city in the Netherlands, and many regard it as the cozier alternative to Amsterdam. The city boasts beautiful canals and parks, lively restaurants and cafés, fascinating museums and remarkable historical buildings.
Cities and neighbourhoods. Utrecht Region has many cities, towns and neighbourhoods, each with its own unique charm. In this section, we offer a selection of the 26 municipalities that make up Utrecht Region. Learn more about our beautiful cities and towns, their surroundings and where to live.
Utrecht, The Netherlands. Cycle along canals, or peddle in them. Discover top musea and an all-Dutch atmosphere in Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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