We visited two cities on this day, within driving distance of Amsterdam : Haarlem and Utrecht
Haarlem located on the river Spaarne and, is about 20 km west of Amsterdam. Haarlem has been the historical tulip bulb-growing district for centuries and bears its other nickname Bloemenstad (flower city) for this reason. We started our self tour at the city’s main square, the Grote Markt.
Grote Markt – The square has a few striking buildings – St. Bavo Church or Grote Kerk (St.-Bavokerk), the Old City Hall, and the Meat Hall (Vleeshal).
Amsterdamse Poort – This beautiful structure is Haarlem’s only surviving city gate. Built in the early 1400s and a national monument, it is flanked by two octagonal towers and two round towers, as well as remnants of the old city walls. In 1985 a complete renovation of the gate took place.
De Adriaan Windmill – As you walk along river Spaarne, you will come across the De Adriaan Windmill (Molen de Adriaan). The original windmill burnt down in 1932 and was rebuilt in 2002. You can take a 45-minute tour of the windmill to learn its history and how a windmill operates.
Teylers Museum – Founded in 1778 and open to public since 1784, this is the oldest museum in the Netherlands. Teylers Museum was named after Pieter Teyler van der Hulst (1702-1778), a wealthy banker and silk manufacturer from Haarlem, whose will stipulated that his fortune be used to establish a foundation that promoted arts and science. Its executors decided to build a public museum that could bring together exhibits from the two fields. Books would be provided for study, and scientific instruments for demonstrations.
Utrecht is 45km south of Amsterdam and home to Utrecht University, the largest university in the Netherlands, as well as several other institutions of higher education. We drove to Utrecht from Haarlem which took us a little more than an hour.
Domplein(Dom Square) – This is where the city originated almost 2000 years ago and is now the heart of Utrecht. Most guided/self tours begin here as it also has the Utrecht Tourist Information Office. Some of the historic and colorful buildings like the Domtoren(Dom Tower), St. Martin’s Cathedral(Dom Church), and Utrecht University Hall, are located in this square.
In 1674, during a great storm, the nave of St. Martin’s Cathedral collapsed. Fortunately the Dom Tower at the other end of the nave withstood the storm. The rubble got cleared and since then the tower and what’s left of the church are separated by the Domplein square. Since the 5th of May 1949, the statue of the woman with flaming torch stands at the site of the nave.
The Domtoren – or the Dom Tower is the tallest tower in Netherlands at 112m high. Built between 1321 and 1382, it was part of St. Martin’s Cathedral (Dom Church) until it got separated from the Cathedral after the devastating storm of 1674. The Dom Tower houses an impressive carillon of 50 bells, many of them centuries old, including some that date back to the 1600s. Be sure to climb up the 465 steps to the top for a view of the old city. You can see the bells as you climb up. At night, the Dom Tower is lit up beautifully.
St. Martin’s Cathedral – This is another historic building located in Dom Square. Referred to as the Dom Church (Domkerk) by locals, the original structure was built in 1254 on the site of an earlier Romanesque church. The church was never fully completed because of lack of funds which may explain why the nave of the Cathedral collapsed after a tornado hit the town in 1674. The massive Domtoren which was part of the church got separated during the tornado. The collapsed nave is today the so-called Domplein or Dom Square.
Of particular note is the picturesque 14th-century cloister linking the cathedral with the university. Above its windows are scenes from the life of St. Martin, the patron saint, while in the center of the beautiful Cloister Garden is a fountain with a bronze figure of a monk.
Utrecht University Hall – This is an attractive and colorful building on Dom Square and the public face of Utrecht University. Founded in 1636, it is one of the oldest and prestigious public research University in Netherlands. As the university grew, the academic buildings in the historic city centre were unable to meet the university’s increasing need for space. Therefore, starting from the 1960s, a significant part of the university moved to the De Uithof campus (Utrecht Science Park) located east of the city. The Utrecht University Hall building in Dom Square is used for academic ceremonies, debates, lectures, and conferences.
Museum Speelklok exhibit – This museum was established in 1956 and is dedicated to self-playing musical instruments. Among the instruments on display are music boxes, musical clocks, pianolas, and barrel organs. The word speelklok means musical clock.
The Oudegracht(Old Canal)– This canal runs the entire length of the town from north to south. It is two kilometers long and connects Kromme Rijn(Crooked Rhine) and the Vecht. It is a perfect place to take a stroll and there are about 16 beautiful bridges that go across the Oudegracht. Most of these have two arches each, but a few have only one arch.
De Haar Castle(Kasteel De Haar) – This attractive castle is about 16km west of Utrecht and is the largest castle in the Netherlands. It is so large that when it was built in 1822, the whole village of Haarzuilens had to be moved. The medieval House De Haar dates back to the 13th century. It fell into disrepair in the 18th and 19th centuries. It was restored between 1892-1912 by architect Pierre Cuypers (famous for his designs of the Rijksmuseum and the Central Station in Amsterdam). The castle has a large collection of antiquities, furniture, paintings, and tapestries, along with its rich décor, including ornate wood carvings and tableware.
The park and gardens surrounding De Haar Castle – covering over 135 acres of land is beautiful and worth taking a stroll. Events and festivals are often held here, including the annual Country & Christmas Fair.
