The Dom Tower in Utrecht

One thing that I did in our Utrecht visit was visiting the Dom Tower. Hubby and I did not enter the tower but we enjoy watching the outside view. The tower was very high and I can’t imagine walking all those stairs just to reach the upper part of the tower.

The Dom Tower (Cathedral Tower, Dutch: Domtoren) of Utrecht is the tallest church tower in the Netherlands. Measured 112.5 metres (368 feet) in height and the Gothic-style tower is the symbol of the city. The tower was part of the Cathedral of Saint Martin, Utrecht, also known as Dom Church, and was built between 1321 and 1382, to a design by John of Hainaut. The cathedral was never fully completed due to lack of money. Since the unfinished nave collapsed in 1674 the Dom tower became a free standing tower.

The Dom Tower was one of the largest towers constructed in Europe during the fourteenth century, and it was planned to show the power of the church of Utrecht. Its construction led preacher Geert Groote to protest against the vanity of such an immense project, suggesting it was too tall, too expensive and all but aesthetic.
The Dom tower was a multifunctional building. In addition to being a belfry, it contained a private chapel of the bishop of Utrecht on the first floor. It also served as the watchtower; the tower guard was housed on the second floor of the lower square block.

The Dom tower, over 600 years old and the highest mediaeval tower in the Netherlands, is naturally the symbol of Utrecht. Climb the tower with a guide and learn all about ringing the bells and playing the carillon. Your climb of all 465 steps in the tower will be rewarded with a great view of the city!