Why the tower and church are separate from Utrecht Cathedral (and what you must see there)

I am standing in the heart of Utrecht on the Dom Square, and something feels… strange. I look up to the sky and see a gigantic, Gothic tower. Then I turn around and see a beautiful, Gothic cathedral. But between them gapes a huge, open void. What you see here at the Dom in Utrecht is not a planning error. It is the consequence of a catastrophe that divided the city’s landmark forever.

The Dom Square: A Historical Ground Zero

To understand what happened here, we have to go deep – literally. A walk across the Dom Square leads over the birthplace of Utrecht. Right here, around 47 AD, the Romans laid the foundation stone for the city: the castellum “Traiectum”.

On these ruins, the Frankish King Dagobert had a first church built in the 7th century. A devastating city fire in 1253 destroyed its successor, an imposing Romanesque cathedral, and made way for a project of unprecedented ambition.

In 1254, construction began on a new cathedral in the ultra-modern French Gothic style. Almost 70 years later, in 1321, a separate project was started: the Dom Tower.

A Day That Changed Everything

On August 1, 1674, a devastating storm, a hurricane, hit Utrecht. The weakest point of the massive cathedral could not withstand the forces of nature. The nave in the middle had never been properly completed due to a chronic lack of money. With a deafening crash, the entire central nave collapsed. When the dust settled, the church was separated from the tower. Forever.

The Giant – The Ascent of the Dom Tower

The Dom Tower, built between 1321 and 1382, is the highest church tower in the Netherlands with a height of 112.32 meters (increased to 112.5 meters after restorations). The tower consists of two massive square blocks, upon which rests a significantly lighter, octagonal lantern.

The bell tower housed the private chapel of the Bishop of Utrecht and served as the residence for the tower watchman.

The tower can be visited on a guided tour. You climb up over 465 steps. Along the way, you also pass the belfry. The main peal consists of 14 bells with a massive total weight of 32,000 kg. To this day, they are rung by hand by the Guild of Utrecht Bell Ringers (Utrecht Klokkenluiders Gilde). The Hemony carillon is also impressive. The glockenspiel was cast in the 17th century by the famous Hemony brothers and today features 50 bells.

Unfortunately, we weren’t in the city long enough to climb the Dom Tower. However, the view from up there is supposed to be great. We will probably plan for that on our next visit!

The Survivor – The Dom in Utrecht

We enter what is left of the cathedral: the Dom in Utrecht. Today, it is only a fragment. Basically, you are “only” standing in the choir and the transept. We like what we see here very much.

Following a tip, I pay attention to the statues in the church. Many faces have been brutally smashed off. That was the destruction of the Iconoclasm (1580), when Protestants smashed irreplaceable artworks during the Reformation.

Hidden highlights in the Dom in Utrecht:

• Here you will find the tomb of Admiral Willem Joseph van Ghent (†1672) and also imperial memorial stones. In the high choir, you should pay attention to the inconspicuous floor tiles from the 15th century. These serve as a reminder that the hearts and entrails of Emperors Conrad II (†1039) and Henry V (†1125) were buried here.
• In the ambulatory, there is also a rare and ornate Holy Sepulchre from 1501. It shows the body of Christ, surrounded by angels and guards.
• Visitors who look up can discover masterfully carved keystones 30 meters above them in the vault of the choir. These artworks, almost invisible to the naked eye, depict heavenly scenes, such as Jesus crowning his mother Mary.

The Hidden Pandhof (Monastery Garden)

Nestled between the Domkerk and the auditorium of Utrecht University lies the Pandhof, one of the most beautiful and at the same time most hidden places in the city.

This former monastery garden is one of the most beautiful courtyards in the Netherlands. It is completely enclosed by a stunning, richly decorated Gothic cloister. The former cloister is freely accessible.

Our Culinary Tip: The Domcafé

The Domcafé is located right inside the church. We sat here at a table with the beautiful Pandhof and drank a coffee.

Our Additional Tip: Visit to DOMunder

A real highlight that we visited is DOMunder. Right in the middle of the Dom Square, you can descend into the underground with a flashlight. There you will discover the 2,000-year-old history of Utrecht, from the Romans to the destroyed nave. Absolutely book in advance!

More information can be found in our article “Why DOMunder in Utrecht was my coolest time travel”.

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