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Photo: Michielderoo, CC BY-SA 3.0 nl via Wikimedia Commons
Consecrated in 1048.
St. Peter's Church is a Reformed and former Roman Catholic church in the city of Utrecht in the Netherlands, dedicated to Peter the Apostle. It is one of the city's oldest churches. Its construction began in 1039 and it was inaugurated on 1 May 1048 by Bernold, Bishop of Utrecht. The church was the eastern end of Utrecht's "Kerkenkruis", of which the Domkerk is the centre. Characteristic of the Romanesque style in which it is built are the church's large nave pillars, each hewn from one piece of red sandstone, and the crypt under the choir. The building is now used by the Walloon Church.
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Domkerk
The Gothic Dom church (built between 1284 and 1520) is the major religious building in the city. It was a part of a larger cathedral which was partially destroyed by a severe storm while under construction. When a hurricane hit the town in 1674, the badly constructed nave collapsed, which is the reason that today the Domtoren (Bell Tower) and the church itself are separated by the Domplein (Dom Square). The interior of the church was stripped down of every sculpture during Reformation, but the exterior remains a lavishly decorated example of Dutch Gothic architecture. The 20th century stained glass windows are stunningly beautiful.
Dom Tower
112 m tall, it is the highest church tower in the Netherlands. It is also the highest building in the city by municipal mandate. Climbing up the stairs to see the magnificent view on the top is highly recommended, but beware of the narrow, steep stairs. On clear days you can look as far as Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Home to the second largest set of bells in Europe (after Cologne), and a carillon which is often played by musicians at the weekend.
City Theatre
The building is a city landmark. It was designed in 1937 by the famous architect Willem Dudok. Almost all theatre performances are in Dutch, but there are also dance and music performances. There are two halls inside the Stadsschouwburg, the Douwe Egberts Zaal (Douwe Egberts Hall) and the Blauwe Zaal (Blue Hall). Students can buy tickets 30 minutes before the start of a show for a reduced fee (€9 for shows in the Douwe Egberts zaal, €7 for shows in the Blauwe Zaal), provided the show is not sold out yet.
Participate in the skate parade: every Friday night in summer (roughly May - December), over 300 skaters ride about 20 km in and around Utrecht, making it a great way to see more of the city. The event is free of charge. Departure is at 20:00 exactly, so make sure to arrive well in advance.