Domkerk

The Domkerk is a Gothic church in Utrecht, originally dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours and reflecting classic French Gothic architecture. Its choir and transept stand beside Utrecht’s Domplein. The separate tower reaches 112 metres above the city skyline after the nave collapsed in 1674. Stones across the square mark the former outline of that nave.

Utrecht used the church as its medieval diocesan cathedral, and construction of the present building began after a 1253 fire. Construction began in 1254 with work on the choir. Financial difficulties after 1515 prevented completion, while the Beeldenstorm destroyed many ornaments in 1566. Calvinist worship began here after the city transferred the cathedral in 1580. South of the church, the intact cloister and chapter house preserve the setting where the Union of Utrecht was signed. The organ retains pipes from the sixteenth century.

The open Domplein exposes the church’s missing centre between surviving medieval structures. The choir holds memorial stones for emperors Conrad II and Henry V. Inside, Bishop Guy of Avesnes has the only largely intact medieval tomb, dating from the fourteenth century. The church, tower, and square form a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognised for Roman archaeological remains.