DOMTOREN - TOWER OF THE CATHEDRAL OF SAINT MARTIN

The Domtoren is the tower of St. Martin's Cathedral. It is separated from the cathedral by an open space (Domplein) built in place of the nave, which collapsed in 1674. The result is the astonishing sight of an edifice comprising a tower on the one hand, and the choir of a church on the other, but with no main nave. The choir is still used as a church, however, and some Reformed Church services are still held there. The tower is now owned by the city of Utrecht. At 112 m high, it was the tallest building in the country for over 600 years, before the new buildings of Rotterdam took its place. It consists of three superimposed sections, with a passage for bicycles underneath. The clock face radiates from the middle section. Finally, at the top (after 465 steps), well hidden but, even from a distance, very present, the carillon will remind you of its sound, repeated every quarter-hour. Short on the quarter-hour, it becomes longer on the half-hour. The exterior of the tower has been fully restored over a five-year period, from 2019 to 2024.

The staircase tour lasts around 1 hour, while the elevator tour lasts 30 minutes: the choice is yours - we naturally prefer the stairs! Guided tours around the tower take you through 2,000 years of history. Tours are also available in English.