The Dom Tower is the highest and oldest church tower in Holland and Utrecht's landmark. The Dom Tower was built between 1321 and 1382. Inside the tower are two chapels, the Chapel of St. Michael, which was the bishop's private chapel, and the Egmond Chapel, the private chapel of Bishop George of Egmond. There are thirteen bells between 880 and 18,000 pounds, all named after Saints and cast in 1505. The tower is 112 meters or 367 feet high and offers an excellent view of Utrecht and its surroundings, but first you have to climb 465 stairs! On a clear day you can see the church steeples of Amersfoort, Rhenen, Montfoort, Oudewater, Woerden and even Amsterdam.

The cathedral

The earliest record of a church on this site is from the 7th century. Like so many of its kind, it has experienced both good and bad times. In 1253, the Roman cathedral was badly damaged by fire. Between 1254 and 1517, a new church was built in French Gothic style. During a fierce hurricane in 1647, the connection between tower and church collapsed. It was never rebuilt. The remaining tombs and the 15th century wall paintings are impressive. The quiet medieval courtyard, a lovely escape from the bustling city, contains more than 140 different plants and herbs.

The Dom Square was created in 1826. Visitors are shown the site of the original church nave before its collapse in 1674; grey bricks outline the contours of the nave as it once was. A bronze plaque on the Cathedrals south wall shows the location of the Roman castellum.

Just behind the Cathedral is St. Pieters Church, built in the 11th century, which has frescoes and a crypt containing the remains of its founder, Bishop Bernold.