Van Puin tot Plein

2,000 years of Utrecht

Domplein has been a remarkable place for 2,000 years. It is where Utrecht originated. The Romans built Castellum Traiectum here. Later, in 1122, Utrecht officially became a city when Emperor Henry V granted city rights at Palace Lofen. Not long after, construction began on the Gothic Dom Church, including the tallest church tower in the Netherlands: the iconic Dom Tower.

The storm of 1674

On 1 August, a massive storm swept across Utrecht: ’t Schrickelik Tempeest. A downburst destroyed the nave of the Dom Church, separating the tower and the church. A disaster that ultimately grew into a new beginning.

150 years of rubble

The debris of the collapsed nave remained in place for no less than 150 years—a ruin in the middle of the city.

It became a place where “sodomites” (homosexual men) secretly gathered. Around 1730, this came to an abrupt end when the Dom Tower’s watchman caught two men, exposing a wider network. They were tried and sentenced to death, along with many others. The Dom Tower, Dom Church, and the collapsed nave thus became the setting for what would grow into the largest persecution of homosexuals in the Netherlands.

Van puin tot plein

The rubble was cleared in 1826, creating space. The Domplein as we know it today came into being. Generations of Utrecht residents have made memories here, where remembrance and celebration exist side by side—and where 2,000 years of heritage and stories are accessible to everyone every day.

The programme