Utrecht, Netherlands

There is some evidence that Utrecht was inhabited since the Stone Age. However, the founding of the city has always been related to the construction of the Castellum Traiectum in Roman times, decided by Emperor Claudius in 47 AD, to protect the Northern border of the Roman Empire, the River Rhine. Traiectum became the Dutch Trecht to which the prefix "uut" (downriver) was added to form Utrecht.


Following waves of attacks from Germanic tribes, the Romans eventually left between 275-300 AD. In 695 the Anglo-Saxon missionary Willibord arrived in Utrecht where he founded two churches- the Church of Saint Martin and the Church of St. Salvator. The arrival of Willibord is usually considered to be the beginning of the Bishopric of Utrecht, which later grew to become the most important religious centre of the Northern Netherlands.


In the 9th century, during a pillaging journey, the Vikings attacked Utrecht and destroyed the city's gates and walls. Nevertheless, by 1122 Utrecht was already an important trade centre in the Northern Netherlands and Holy Roman Emperor Henry V granted the city a charter.


In 1254 the current Dom Church started being built after the original one was destroyed by fire.


In 1529 the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V commissioned the construction of Vredenburg, a castle intended to keep Utrecht citizens under control. This castle was destroyed a few decades later after the Spanish troops were forced to retreat and in 1579 the Treaty of Utrecht was signed. In this treaty, a number of towns and districts- Zealand, Holland, Utrecht, Ghent and Bruges- agree to march against the Spaniards and settle their religious differences. It is considered to be the beginning of the Dutch Republic.


In 1672 the city temporarily fell to the French Invasions and two years later it suffered significant destruction after being struck by a tornado.


In 1713 the War of Spanish Succession was settled in Utrecht.

More on Utrecht:
Domkerk
Dom Toren
Dom Under
Pandhof Sinte Marie
Pieterskerk
Saint Catherine's Cathedral
Catherijne Convent Museum






Local: Utrecht, Países Baixos

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Gates of Mdina, Malta

Image
Mdina walls have three gates: the Mdina Gate, the Greeks Gate and the Gharreqin Gate. The Main Gate, also known as Vilhena gate, was built in 1724, under Grandmaster Antonio Manoel de Vilhena, who in 1722 ordered the renovation and restoration of Mdina. The courtyard behind the main gate was demolished to make way for the Vilhena Palace and a new gate had to be built, a few meters to the left of the old one, which was walled up. The Gate has reliefs of Saint Agatha, Saint Paul and Saint Publius, the three patron saints of Malta. The Greeks Gate is the oldest of the three Gates, dating back to medieval times. It was also renovated in 1724 when an outer portal was built in the baroque style. It is known as the Greeks Gate because a small community of Greeks once lived by the gate. For many years it was the only gate by which the slaves were allowed to enter Mdina. The Gharreqin Gate is the less known and most recent of the three Gates. It was excavated in the city
Read more

Church of Santa Maria de Belém, Lisbon, Portugal

Image
The church of Santa Maria de Belém originated from the expansion,  ordered by Henry the Navigator in the 15th century,  of a previous hermitage built on the site. The new church was trusted to the Order of Christ- of which Henry the Navigator was the Grand Master- to help the seamen that passed by Belém, as the hermitage had done before. In 1501, by order of King D. Manuel I, the Monastery of the Hieronymites started being built and the small church was totally remodelled in the Manueline and Renaissance styles. It was the king's wish that the church should become a pantheon for the dynasty (Avis-Beja) started by him, and that it continued to help the travellers passing through Belém. Like the Monastery, the church was significantly restored in the 19th century. Inside the church are the tombs of several historical figures: Luís de Camões, one of Portugal's greatest poets who lived in the 16th century, Vasco da Gama, the first navigator to go to India by sea, King D. Sebast
Read more

Martim Moniz Square, Lisbon, Portugal

Image
According to legend, Martim Moniz was a knight in D. Afonso Henrique's army during the city's reconquest in 1147 (D. Afonso Henriques was the first king of Portugal). Seeing one of the gates open he threw himself into the breach, allowing for the invading army to enter at the cost of his own life. Martim Moniz square results from the demolition of Lower Mouraria in the mid 20th century, including the street after which the square is named. Only the chapel of Our Lady of Good Health survived the demolition. In the 90s the city council decided to make the toponym official and maintain the homage to the hero of questionable existence. During many years the square looked very degraded, until 2012, when the city council decided to renovate, adding new kiosks and esplanades. This square is also known as Lisbon's Chinatown, due to the existence of many Chinese and Indian shopkeepers. The fountain is a reference to the old wall, of which only an unrecognizable tower remains ne
Read more

Lisbon's City Walls, Portugal

Image
The hilltop where the castle stands probably had walls since Roman times. However, the remains that can be seen today date from two main periods. The old walls, or Moorish walls, were built on top of whatever walls existed at the time, between the 10th century and 1147, when Lisbon was reconquered by the first king of Portugal. In this period only the castle and Alfama neighbourhood existed and the walls were rebuilt as the Christian threat from the north intensified. Later, in the late 13th and 14th centuries, D. Dinis and D. Fernando ordered the walls to be repaired and enlarged, to address both the expansion of the city and the growing tension with Castille. Segments of the Moorish wall can be seen close to the castle and in Alfama neighbourhood; the remains of the wall from D.Dinis reign can be seen at the Money Museum while the remains from D. Fernando period can be seen in Espaço Chiado, a shopping centre, and in Largo Martim Moniz.  Back to Lisbon
Read more