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What is Utrecht like in central the Netherlands?

Utrecht, a city in central the Netherlands, is the capital of the province of Utrecht. Important port along the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal. Utrecht is home to international industrial fairs, a trade and cultural center, and the fourth largest city in the Netherlands.

History

Utrecht (Utrecht), in 47 AD, the Romans built a fortress on the Rhine River at that time to protect the Rhine estuary, called “Trajectum ad Rhenum”, which is the origin of Utrecht. The fortress was originally a wooden structure, but was changed to stone after the 2nd century. About 500 Roman soldiers were stationed. There were small settlements near the fortress, inhabited by artisans, merchants and families of soldiers.

In the mid-2nd century, Germanic tribes began to invade. The Romans left in 270, and the history of the city from 270 to 500 is unknown. From the 6th century, Utrecht was ruled by the Franks.

During the Middle Ages, Utrecht was the most important city in the northern Netherlands. In 695 Willibrordus was appointed bishop of Friesland, and in 703 or 704 Pepin II gifted Utrecht to Willibrordus as a base for his mission to the north. In 1122, Utrecht was granted city status. Since then, the Bishop of Utrecht has also enjoyed the administrative powers of the province of Utrecht and the more northeastern territories.

As Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire became the lord of the 17 provinces of the Netherlands, in 1528 the secular executive power of the Bishop of Utrecht was also restored to Charles V. In 1579, the seven northern provinces formed the Utrecht League to jointly resist Spanish rule. The founding of the Confederation marked the beginning of the Interprovincial Republic of the Netherlands. In 1580, the Protestant-dominated League abolished the bishops, including the Archbishop of Utrecht.

In the 17th century, Utrecht became an important fortress on the Dutch waterways. In 1713, the War of the Spanish Succession ended and an armistice was signed in Utrecht. In 1843, the railway linking Amsterdam and Utrecht opened. Utrecht gradually became the hub of the Dutch railway network. With the development of the Industrial Revolution in the Netherlands, cities also expanded rapidly. From the 1920s to the 1930s, new middle-class neighborhoods continued to expand.

During World War II, Utrecht was under German rule. On May 5, 1945, the German forces in the Netherlands surrendered, and on May 7, Canadian troops entered and Utrecht was liberated.

Travel

Many people’s first impression of Utrecht is its ultra-modern Central Station and Hoog Catharijne’s shopping mall. The railway station is connected to the shopping center, with more than 180 stores, it can be said to be the largest shopping center in the Netherlands, with restaurants, fashion clothes, etc., and this huge building is facing the Jaarbeurs conference center and Herman Hertzberger” s Vredenburg Music Center. The Utrecht Regional Tourist Office is also near the train station.

Utrecht has the tallest clock tower in the Netherlands, the Bishop’s Tower (Domtoren). This clock tower is not only the most conspicuous landmark of Utrecht, but also highlights the close relationship between Utrecht’s historical development and religion.

In the seventh century AD, Anglo-Saxon missionaries were appointed bishops of Utrecht by the German emperor. Because the position of bishop not only has considerable religious authority, but also has regional administrative jurisdiction. In addition to the city where the bishop lives, the surrounding area is also under the jurisdiction, and Utrecht becomes the power center of the entire bishopric.

Transportation

The city of Utrecht is the heart of the Dutch rail system network and a meeting point for international rail travel, connecting many important European business centers by high-speed trains. Schiphol International Airport, the fourth busiest airport in the world, is just a 1.5-hour drive away. The air journey to most European destinations is also within 2 hours.