Walking Tour

Follow our walking tour through the most important buildings of the Dom Square, each of which is tied to one of the eight student personalities!

Check them out

Dom Square: the central
point of Utrecht

The Dom Square is the epicentre of student activity in Utrecht and has been for almost four centuries. The university itself and many affiliated institutions have their roots on and around the square, which draws the attention of many different kinds of students.

The current Dom Square is located at the site where two millennia ago the Romans built their fort Trajectum, of which the name Utrecht is derived. Even after the Roman times, the site where the stronghold used to be remained the centre of what would later become the city of Utrecht.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the square functioned as the religious centre of the city, with the Dom Church forming the middle of the 'cross of churches' between the St. Mary, the St. John, the St. Paul and the St. Peter. Also the university of Utrecht and many of its affiliated institutions have their roots on and around the square, which has made the Dom Square the epicentre of student activity in Utrecht for the past four centuries.

Let's explore the square together!

Source: G. Braun and F. Hogenberg, "Map of the city of Utrecht with its immediate surroundings".
Source: Het Utrechts Archief

Source: Creative Commons CC0 (2020 - Boogers Lengua Muller)

1. The Academy Building:
the "Busy Bee" student

Together with the attached chapter house from the 15th century, the academy building is the beating heart of the university and attracts the "busy bee students". Something about surrounding themselves with the same walls as, for instance, the signers of the Union of Utrecht in 1579, is extremely exciting to them. They are fascinated by the fact that Utrecht University has its roots right here, and it makes them feel like they are there to continue this legacy of almost four centuries.

Throughout the coming years some of these ambitious students will be seeing this building a lot, perhaps for the inauguration that starts off the board year of a student association they are part of! Soon enough these hard-working few will know everyone who walks around here, and one day they aspire to defend their PhD thesis here and receive the praise that they deserve.

Source: https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academiegebouw_(Utrecht)

Want to know more about the Academy Building and its history? Read more here.

Want to know more about how Utrecht University was founded? Then check out the interactive timeline made by the UU!

2. The Pandhof: the relaxed student

The garden next to the church called the 'Pandhof' attracts mostly the "relaxed students". They like to spend their time outside - either with friends or by themselves - and take in their surroundings. In the Pandhof, they find shade during the hot days of summer, some sun in the spring and fall, and some cosy shelter in the winter. It strikes the perfect balance between being secluded from the busy outside world and at the same time having different people coming in and out all day, who they like to observe.

The fact that this nice little piece of green used to be a passageway through which the students of the Illustrious School (predecessor to Utrecht University) walked to their classes is not often on the mind of the relaxed students. If anything, it is a reassuring thought to them that after more than four centuries, this is still a place where students can come and overthink life's many questions and charms.

Source: https://www.holland.com/global/tourism/destinations/utrecht/pandhof-cathedral-towers-idyllic-garden.htm

Want to know more about the Pandhof and how it was used before its ownership passed to the University? Read more here.

3. The Dom Church:
the spiritual student

In addition to visitors interested in the art historical features of the Dom, the church often attracts the more "spiritual students". In the busy world that they live in, they find peace and comfort in places where people come together to share their faith. Every now and then, when they pass by perhaps, they visit the Dom Church to unwind and connect with the past generations of people who have come here to recharge.

The students that regularly come here admire the effort and time that went into the construction (1285-1520) of this place and they are proud that the university chooses this as its venue for the annual opening of the academic year. When they step outside after their visit, they like to imagine how, before a big storm destroyed the nave of the church in 1674, the grandeur of the church must have extended all the way to the Dom Tower. Currently, the floor plan of this demolished part of the Dom is still visible in the pavement of the square. As the spiritual students wander off, the outlines on the square remind them of the square's long legacy as a place of worship and spiritually, going back almost 1400 years.

Source: https://www.hartvoormonumenten.nl/verhalen/3-domkerk-utrecht

Want to know more about the Dom Church and its uses of the past and present? Read more on their website.

This article (in Dutch) will tell you more about the relationship between the Dom Church and Utrecht University!

4. The Dom Gate:
the superstitious student

The gate under the Dom Tower is surrounded by myths and tales, which especially catches the attention of "superstitious students". Legend has it that once a person committed suicide by jumping from the top of the tower. Unfortunately, it just so happened that in that very moment an unexpecting student was walking under the Dom Tower and just as they came out from under the gate, the person that jumped fell on top of them, killing the poor student instantly. The superstitious students, therefore, make sure to, whenever they cross the Dom Square that they never EVER walk under the Dom gate...

Want to know more about these oddly specific student myths and traditions? This article sums up 5 Weird Dutch Student Traditions.

Source: http://blog.sailingdetour.com/?p=189

And guess what? Student societies and their traditions are now officially part of dutch cultural heritage! Read all about it here.

5. The Dom Tower:
the disoriented student

The symbol and epicentre of the city and former highest building in the Netherlands is a convenient point of reference for "disoriented students". It is always there to look up to from a distance and remind them that everything is going to be just fine. Not only does its everlasting presence on the Utrecht skyline comfort them, it also helps these students navigate through those tiny little streets in the city centre that all look exactly the same to them.

Sometimes the disoriented students fantasize about how, before the emergence of other high buildings, the Dom Tower must have been visible from far outside the city. Even though the tower might not be as visible as it used to be, in your mind and in those of many other Utrechters, it remains the focal point of the city.

Source: https://www.questoapp.com/city-games/utrecht-walking-tours/attractions/the-dom-tower-11057

Want to learn more about how the Dom Tower function as a symbol of the city? Perhaps you will like this new take on how the city of Utrecht is represented through postcards (a.o.) of the Dom Tower, a bachelor thesis by Nienke van Aggelen.

6. The first location of the Utrechtsche Studenten Corps:
the "Life of the Party" student

This small tiny building next to the Dom Church attracts the attention of the "life of the party students". They can mainly be found in the city centre towards the end of the day - otherwise known as "borreltime"! When they visit Dom Square during their nocturnal adventures, the party students like to bring homage to the place where the social life of the Utrechtsche Studenten Corps (USC - or "Utrecht Student Corpus") started, all the way back in 1816. Even though the current USC consists mostly of party animals like yourself, you also like to remember that it started out as an association for all students all the way back in 1636.

It was only 180 years after the inception of the corpus that the first student society was founded, located in the coffee house of J. Coops right next to the Dom Tower (Servetsteeg 7). After outgrowing this tiny coffee house, the society moved to several new locations one after the other, among which most were situated at the Dom Square (back then called "Munsterplein"). Even though the buildings themselves (like 't Metalen Kruis, "The Metal Cross") are long gone, while passing by the energy of all those students that had their parties here in the past can still be felt…or was that really one beer too many??

Want to know more about the history of the USC? Read more on their website (only available in Dutch).

Coffee House of J. Coop, Servetstraat 7 (formerly also "Servetsteeg"), first location of the PhRM Student Society of the USC (left), right next to the Dom Tower. Source: Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed, photographer: C. Hoogendijk, ca. 1911-1934.
'T Metalen Kruis, Münsterplein 3 (now: Domplein), former location of the PhRM Student Society of the USC. Source: Collection Het Utrechts Archief, publisher: M. Lorjé, catalogue number 3981.

7. Circle That:
the sustainable student

Circle That is a student-led collective that facilitates food rescue markets, second-hand clothing sales, sustainable living workshops and much more. Circle That has their second-hand clothing store at Domplein 4, which attracts many of the "sustainable students".

These students love to take part in the many student initiatives that promote sustainable living and consumption, and they spend a lot of time and energy to educate the people around them. Even though it is hard work that they do, their efforts help to bring people together and build a community that works towards a better future. By volunteering here, these climate-conscious students contribute to a sustainable environment, and hope to inspire others to do so as well.

Source: Circle That © Feb. 2020

Want to know more about Circle That? Visit their Facebook page!

Want to know more about other sustainability initiatives in Utrecht and ways to get involved? Read more about Green Office Utrecht here.

8. The house of Anna Maria van Schurman: the pioneering student

In the street behind the Dom Church, in the place that is now referred to as Achter de Dom 6 to 10, used to be the house of Anna Maria van Schurman (1607-1678), the first female university student in the Netherlands. By participating in the intellectual community of the seventeenth century, she paved the way for many women and members of other oppressed groups to do the same.

The commemorative plaque at Achter de Dom 8 particularly interests the "pioneering students". Especially at Dom Square, where she grew up and where she wrote most of her academic work and poetry, her spirit and courage can still be felt. Even though after Van Schurman's death it would take another two centuries before more women were admitted to universities in the Netherlands, her lifetime of fighting for female education set a great precedent and example for future generations. The pioneering students of today feel personally inspired by her story and strive to follow in her footsteps to fight for a better world.

Source: Memorial plaque for Anna Maria van Schurman on the facade of achter de Dom 8, Gevelstenen in Utrecht.

Want to know more about the life of Anna Maria van Schurman and her ties to the Dom Square? Perhaps take a look at The First Female University Student: Anna Maria van Schurman (1636), by Pieta van Beek.