Utrecht, Netherlands

Royal Dutch Mint, Utrecht, Netherlands
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Utrecht-IMG_2798.JPG
Author: Dohduhdah
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Utrecht is the provincial capital of Utrecht Province, and the fourth largest city in the Netherlands. It covers 99.32 sq km (38.3 sq mi) and has a population of 312,000 (2011 estimate).

Utrecht Cathedral and tower
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kruisgang.jpg
Author: Pepijntje
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Human habitation in Utrecht goes back to 2,200 BC, although documented settlement dates to Roman times, when the Romans built a fort in the area around AD 50. The fort was called Traiectum. The name Utrecht was derived from it, meaning "downriver from Traiectum.

Utrecht has been the center for Christianity in the Netherlands since AD 650, when missionaries from England and Ireland arrive to convert the Frisians. As a result, Utrecht is the see of the Archbishop of Utrecht, the most important leader of the Roman Catholic Dutch. It is also the location of the offices of the main Protestant church in the Netherlands.

Canal in Utrecht
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Utrecht-canal.jpg
Author: Ludmiła Pilecka

Utrecht is home to the largest university in the Netherlands, and also hosts several other institutions of higher learning. Its location makes it an important transportation hub.

Utrecht experiences an oceanic climate. The warmest month here are July and August, when the average high temperature reaches 23°C (73°F). The coldest month is February, when the average low temperature drops to 0°C (32°F). October gets the most rain, at 82.8 mm (3.26 in).

Cambridgelaan Student Housing, Utrecht University
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Utrecht-Uithof,_Cambridgelaan_01.jpg
Author: Moyogo
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Visiting Utrecht

The Utrecht Centraal Station is the railway hub for the Netherlands, so the trains from all the major cities of the country terminates there. If you arrive at Schiphol Airport, you can get a direct train to Utrecht, even if you arrive at night. The journey takes 30 minutes and costs €8 one way. The train station is located on the western part of the city center, about five minutes walking distance from downtown.

Places of Interest in Utrecht

Aboriginal Art Museum
The only museum in Europe to devote itself entirely to different styles of Aboriginal art.
Centraal Museum
The oldest municipal museum in the Netherlands exhibiting a large and varied collection of works from the Middle Ages to present time.
Domtoren
Utrecht cathedral tower, a colossal structure that is the local landmark.
Museum Catharijneconvent
A museum showcasing religious art, housed in the former St Catherine's Convent, which dates back to 1468.
National Museum van Speelklok tot Pierement
Housed in Utrecht's oldest church building, the 13th century Buurkerk, this museum displays a large collection of mechanicalo musical instruments.
Nederlands Spoorwegmuseum (Dutch Railway Museum)
Museum exhibiting the old train carriages and locomotives used by the Dutch railway, some dating to the 19th century.
Pallaeskameren
A row of 12 small almshouses built to provide accommodation to the poor, where they are given a certain amount of free food annually.
Rietveld Schröder-Huis
A house that is regarded as groundbreaking when it was constructed, and today inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Sonnenborgh
A 19th century observatory that today houses the Royal Dutch Meterological Institute.
Universiteitsmuseum
Museum in a new, purpose-built building devoted to showcasing the history of the university since its founding in 1636.

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