Utrecht is one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands and is also a real student city, centrally located and very much alive. The town is well known for its lively and attractive centre, with cosy streets and fantastic shops. Utrecht’s symbol is the Domtoren. Measuring at 112.32 meters, this is the Netherlands’ highest church tower.
The city has a population of 307,000 of which 65,000 are students. This gives one of the highest ratios of student populations in The Netherlands. 23% of all Utrechters are students!
The history of Utrecht dates back to 47 AD. Here the Romans built a fortress near a ford in the river Rhine, part of the defence against the Germanic Teutons, which survived and grew into what we now know as Utrecht.
The atmosphere of the city centre is created by the canals with their shady quay walls rising above the water. Down at water level the old wharves, which were used as long as 800 years ago for unloading ships, and cellars, which were used for storage purposes, have now been transformed into bars, restaurants and little shops.
City of Utrecht has several educational institutions:
