Town map Utrecht

L Natural stone: today Multifaceted Dom Tower ld u e 21 c v a s s

29 n b a Many of the buildings described have been standing for centuries; not that Many different types of rock were used in J o l 17 w Kruisstr. N 30 e e Jans r the use of natural stone has died out. On the contrary, today we use rocks the original building of the Dom Tower 20 k rg 18 u Kerkhof denbu d Vre e Nobel- Mulderstr. that weren’t available in the Netherlands in ancient times and the Middle (1321-1384) and in later restoration works. straat - 5 t Nac tr. e- n t N hte s inr Jans- u a o - g M a b Ages. There are various reasons for this. For instance, it has become easier to White Portland limestone from England r M r u t e Kerkstr. b erstr dam s ld n broed w itple ga Rocks around e a m in a k l transport material across the world, whereas the use of some materials, such has been used in the 19th century for the 22 r S in of s . s h s t v erk A J r. dk t c Ou r 15 6 . as sandstone, is prohibited; others cannot be supplied. Twentieth-century base of the Tower. Above that, the outside h A 27 t c e h r t

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r t a buildings, in particular, use a wide range of natural stone. In general, natural is covered mainly with tuff surrounding Gracht . 2 H a the clock C 4 r 23 16 P t l i a e s Catharijnekade 24 28 i l t r e e e eg w r o a 14Steenw t o o a stone is now used for decorative purposes but not for load-bearing structures. a brick centre. Various types of sandstone n e u r b 3 n h t r e c Domplein i y s u 26 S k r 1 r. N m r g K a A walk through 2,000 years of Utrecht’s history and have been used for ornaments and 7 8 u P s

- 9 Achter cornerstones, both cream-coloured and str. hunderds of millions of years of natural history de Dom p ats del la a l ap Z a i Korte Nieuw- ar t n M Trans a t red sandstone. Basalt and trachyte has O ra s 18 29 1 2 t o 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 u ns 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 Springweg d re e e e n s H been used during restorations. g t r r Oude a a kamp c a h t t

Lange Nieuw- Nieuwe Gracht N i straat e H. Oudegracht 1,000 years k u d a w e

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t r aa p o rstr T The oldest part of the Oudegracht dates ve o a o H l . s tr t t ks s

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le e W Old Rhine silted up to such an extent that i n p a

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u n 19 M aa r g tr M g e s trade was hindered. To solve this problem, w ort t e K a s C a o g tr b a tr. -s en t es C a canal was dug to the River Vecht. Parts rr h me B te a S A S s r in i jn - g s e e e k of both the Oude and the Nieuwegracht, - ng 10 a r l La - va e uw tr. r lw ro ns e o V tte S b such as the Kromme Nieuwegracht, follow at ju tra ss et l original meanders in the course of the Be e s Geertestr. ng laa si co ie Ni H l Rhine. a a r M t in 11 g t - a A. van Schendelstraat tra ns s e t t t r a ie a tra gn a P s A t as e la l co m Ni o g l e e l T e e n w t Interior of the TNO building/ s g w l i j o in e n T s n g s a t la r n Geological Survey of the a e C a m a o t n te b t le No Netherlands, Utrecht. h e a o k r D j i e i j d n ij d W r e Also worthy of attention (see the town map right): r. e J s st u er d i uw p n jlho e Bi t i g t s e 20. Drift 9, early 20th century, Obernkirchen sandstone e b r l s A t r Geological Time table a 21. Utrecht University, Drift 25, 18th century bluestone a t Million 22. Brandmeesters, Korte Janstraat 1-5, early 20th century, bluestone years Holocene 23. Lange Elisabethstraat 20, yellow-brown fossil-rich Jurassic limestone Quaternary Pleistocene 24. Siebel, Bakkerstraat 27-29, early 20th century, almost solid black Colofon 2.5 Pliocene plutonic rock (gabbro) Miocene 25. Oudegracht Library and Broese Bookshop, 1933, sandstone Compilated by Wim Dubelaar Tertiary Oligocene 26. Dom, Drachenfels trachyt, Bentheim sandstone, red sandstone Thomas van der Linden Cenozoic Eocene and Udelfangen sandstone. Dom Tower (plinth) white Portland limestone Suzanne de Jong Paleocene 27. Lange Elisabethstraat 25, 2001, light-coloured granite gneiss with red 65 Hans Hooghart garnets Upper-Cretaceous 28. Jap Exclusives, Choorstraat 14, Jugendstil, red granite Cretaceous Design: Han Bruinenberg Lower-Cretaceous 29. Chemist, Voorstraat 6, Jugendstil, bluestone 146 30. Janskerk, Janskerkhof, 11th century, bricks and tuff Press: Veenman Drukkers, Rotterdam

Jurassic Second edition 2009 Copyright 18 29 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 207 Mesozoic 14 15 16 17Coloured18 19 20photograph21 22 23 Janskerk24 25 ca.26 1905-190727 28 29 30 31 32 Upper-Triassic Keuper TNO Built Environment and Geosciences Triassic Middle-Triassic Muschelkalk Utrechts Archief Lower-Triassic Bontzandsteen Geological Survey of the Netherlands 245 PO Box 80015 Permian 3508 TA Utrecht 290 Upper-Carboniferous Princetonlaan 6 Carboniferous 3584 CB Utrecht Lower-Carboniferous 362 The Netherlands Devonian 408 T +31 30 256 42 56 Paleozoic F +31 30 256 44 75 Silurian 440 E [email protected] Ordovician 510 TNO.NL Cambrian 570

Precambrian 18 29 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 18 29 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 248 259 2610271128122913301431153216 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 Utrecht as a Roman fort Brick has been much used as a building material since the Middle Ages, on limestone from the Upper Cretaceous that composition that stem from the way in The history of the city of Utrecht began in the first century A.D., when the its own and in combination with natural stone. An early application of occurs at the surface in South Limburg. which the rock was formed. A wide variety

Roman Emperor Claudius decided that the Rhine would form the northern brick can be found in the walls of Stadskasteel18 29 1 Oudaen2 3 4 5 , 6built7 8in 91276,10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31The32 most-used Belgian limestone is bluestone of plutonic rocks can be seen in Utrecht. border of his empire. One of the forts built along the river to defend this at Oudegracht 99. (Lower Carboniferous). This rock is also known Light-coloured granites have been used in border was named Trajectum or ‘Ford’. It was situated at a shallow part of as ‘petit granit’. Geologically, this name is the shop18 29 fronts1 2 3of 4Oudegracht5 6 7 8 256-2649 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 18 29 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 the Rhine on what is now the site of Dom18 29 Square1 2 3 . 4Utrecht5 6 7grew8 9 up10 around11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19Clastic20 21 material22 23 24 is25 created26 27 28 when29 30 rocks31 32 erode and from this sedimentary rocks incorrect since unlike real granite this rock and Oudegracht9 10 11 16312 13 .14 Larvikite,15 16 17 18a variety19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 this focal point. The foundations and part of the walls of the Roman fort, are formed. Clay is the finest clastic material. Its grains are less than 2 micrometers wasn’t formed out of molten material. However, with black, grey and blue minerals from made of natural stone, are still visible in Café het Weeshuis18 29 1 and2 3 at4 the5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13in14 diameter.15 16 17 Clay18 19 comprises20 21 22 23 clay24 minerals25 26 27 28(kaolinite,29 30 31 illite,32 montmorrilonite), the presence of crystalline fossils does create the Norwegian town of Larvik, can be seen Utrecht Centre for the18 29Arts1 2 , 3two4 buildings5 6 7 8 on9 Dom10 11 Square.12 13 14 See15 16 the17 City18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26quartz,27 28 29 feldspars,30 31 32 calcite and iron minerals. In the Utrecht area during the Holocene something of the appearance of an igneous next to the bluestone in the façade from map for location of the buildings. period river clay was deposited by meandering rivers that breached their banks. rock. The following fossils are recognisable: 18 29 1 2 3 4 5 19066 7 at8 Steenweg9 10 11 12 6513 14 .15 A 16special17 18 variety19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 When the water flowed into basins and later came to a rest, the clay was deposited. shells, snail shells, corals (honeycomb structure or cones with a radial structure) and is migmatite. This rock became partially the stems of sea lilies (little white circles with a dark centre). At the beginning of the molten after it was created. This caused the

Natural stone Sandstone nineteenth century,18 29 1 the2 Stadhuis3 4 5 6 got7 8 a new9 10 façade.11 12 13 This14 15consists16 17 18of bluestone19 20 21 22 at23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 various minerals to form separate layers People have been using natural stone as a building material for many The introduction of tolls on the Rhine in the ground-floor level and sandstone above. Whereas the fossils 18in this29 bluestone1 2 3are 4no 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 that18 19subsequently20 21 22 folded23 24 over25 one26 27another.28 29 30 31 32 thousands of years. It is safer than, say, wood and also more expensive, a Middle Ages drove the cost of transporting longer easy to spot due to weathering, similar fossils can still be seen in pavements A grey, red migmatite can be seen in the popular trait with building owners wishing to show off their prosperity. tuff still higher. That made the sandstone throughout the city centre. 18 29façade1 2 3of 4the5 shop6 7 at8 Oudegracht9 10 11 12 13 12314 15 .16 A 17wide18 19range20 21 of22 igneous23 24 25 rocks26 27 has28 29 30 31 32 Furthermore, natural stone is a good material for making ornaments and from Bentheim, east of Oldenzaal just been used in the paving of the Dom Square. A wide variety of colours and sculptures to decorate buildings. All these characteristics make natural stone across the border in Germany, an attractive Travertine internal structures can be seen in front of the door of the Information Office the perfect material for buildings intended to last for a very long time. alternative. It was easy to transport this Travertine is a limestone18 that29 is1 formed2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12RonDom13 14 15 16 .17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 Natural stone is scarce in the Netherlands. Pretty much the only materials stone to the city of Utrecht via the River when lime is deposited by supersaturated that occur at the surface here are loose materials such as gravel, sand and 18 29 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 IJssel,9 10 the11 Zuider12 13 Zee14 and15 the16 River17 18 Vecht.19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 water from hot springs. Twigs, leaves and Basalt clay. While South Limburg and the Achterhoek in the east are the only areas Bentheim sandstone was used e.g. at Dom other materials that fall into the water and Basalt is an example of rock that is formed in the Netherlands where natural stones are found at the surface, they are Church and in the18 Pandhof29 1 2 of3 the4 Dom5 6 7 (Dom8 9 10 Square,11 12 13 between14 15 16 Dom17 18 Church19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 later decay of the organic material create the when lava solidifies at the earth’s surface. present in places close by such as Bad Bentheim and the Eifel region of and the University’s Academie-gebouw). Micaceous Udelfangen sandstone was 18 29 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 pores12 13 characteristic14 15 16 17 of 18travertine.19 20 In21 Tivoli22 23 to 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 Basalt often has a characteristic hexagonal Germany and in the Ardennes in Belgium. Traditionally, the Maas and the also used in the Pandhof, where centuries of weathering have exposed the the east of Rome, there is a major travertine column structure. This was formed when

Rhine rivers, which flow through these mountain areas and the Netherlands, sedimentary layers in the sandstone. The façade of the Town18 29 Hall1 2(Stadhuis)3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13deposit.14 15 16 The17 18 rock19 20there21 22 was23 formed24 25 26 during27 28 29 the30 31Pleistocene.32 Travertine can be the rock contracted as it was cooling. have been used to transport natural stone to the Netherlands. consists of Bentheim sandstone. seen in the façade18 29 1of Oudegracht2 3 4 5 6 322-3267 8 9 10 .11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 This natural form makes basalt an ideal stone for bollards, some of which can be Bentheim sandstone is a cream-coloured sedimentary rock. As it consists of Principal type: Igneous rocks seen along the bridge between City Hall Principal type: Sedimentary rocks sand grains deposited in shelf sea and nearshore areas during the Lower and the Winkel van Sinkel and on the Lange 18 29 1 2 3 Cretaceous, more than 95% of it is the mineral quartz. The ripples that are Igneous rocks are created when minerals crystallise from molten rock. 4 5 6 7 818 299 1102 113 124 5136 147 81591610 1117121813Viebrug1914 152016 2117 .18221923202421 2225232624 2725 2628272928 2930303131 32 Sedimentary rocks are formed from the erosion material of other rocks or sometimes visible were formed long ago by flows and waves at sea. Other types of There are two main types. Volcanic rocks solidify at the surface from lava by (bio-)chemical precipitation of salts like carbonate ansd sulfate. Loose much-used sandstone are the Cretaceous Obernkirchen, also cream coloured but a and plutonic rocks solidify in the earth from magma. In the first case, the particles such as sand, gravel and fossils bind together to form a solid little finer with remains of small mollusc shells, the Udelfangen sandstone and the molten material cools quickly and the majority of the resulting crystals are Principal type: Metamorphic rocks material. This type of rock is often recognisable by the presence of (‘sand’) Red Sandstone (from the Triassic period). too small to be visible with the naked eye. In the second case, the rock cools grains or fossils and by its layered structure. much more slowly. This gives the crystals the time to become much larger. As well as sedimentary and igneous rocks, there is a third principal type, Limestone The presence of crystals, often of a uniform size, is thus the most important metamorphic rocks. These are formed under high pressure and/or at Tuff A wide range of limestones is found in characteristic of this type of rock. Drachenfels trachyt and Niedermendig high temperatures from the other two principal types. The most well-known The Romans chose tuff as the building Belgium. On the basis of age and colour, basalt are building stones from the Eifel volcanic area in Germany. rocks in this group are marble (metamorphic limestone) and slate material for their castella and other we can distinguish blue limestones, dating (metamorphic clay stone) that shows a perfect cleavage. Each initial important buildings. Throughout the from the Carboniferous period, and white Boulders material results in a corresponding metamorphic endproduct whose Roman period, this ‘Römer Tuf’ from limestones or calcareous sandstones from Roughly 150,000 years ago, during the particulars are determined by the conditions under which the the Brohldal in the Eifel region remained the Eocene. Blue limestones are still used penultimate ice age, ice caps propelled transformation takes place. This accounts for the wide variety of rocks the most important building stone. for pavement stones, windowsills, doorsteps, large amounts of material along ahead of in this group. A fine example of the use of tuff is 18 29 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 floor10 11 tiling,12 13 façade14 15cladding16 17 and18 bollards.19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 them. These ice-pushed ridges now form visible in the Pieterskerk , at the The white ones are used particularly as the Utrechtse Heuvelrug and the Veluwe. Marble 18 29 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 18 29 1 2 3 4 Pieterskerkhof18 29 1 2 3 4 , 5which6 7 dates8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20façade21 22 23cladding24 25 26 and27 28 together29 30 31 with32 bricks. The alternation of red and white 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 As13 well14 15as a16 lot 17of fine18 19material,20 21 the22 ice23 cap24 25 26 27 28 29Marble30 31 comes32 in many different colours. The most well-known sort is white from the first half of the eleventh century. layers resembles the appearance of bacon and is therefore in Dutch called transported boulders that reach up to 2 meter marble from Carrara in Italy, a marble much used by sculptors. There are also ‘speklaag’, which translates as ‘bacon layer’. in diameter. Since most of the ice came from the north, these boulders were green, red and black varieties. Marble is less suitable than other rocks for use Tuff is a very porous rock. It consists of cemented light-coloured volcanic ash Where do we see limestone used? White limestone or calcareous sandstone often blocks of Scandinavian granite or other plutonic rocks. Boulders of other outdoors in the Netherlands but is much used in interiors, especially in halls containing larger, often darker volcanic rock fragments. The ‘Römer Tuf’ was has been18 used29 1 in2 the3 Paushuize4 5 6 7 8 (on9 10 the11 12Paus13 Dam).14 15 16 Here,17 18 Gobertange19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31types32 of rock also reached the Netherlands during the ice ages by travelling in older houses. The floors in the Hoog Catharijne shopping centre and in the formed about 12,800 years ago during volcanic eruptions in the Eifel region. has been used, a calcareous sandstone from the Eocene. The white of the inside ice flows via the Meuse and the Rhine rivers. One use of these boulders18 29 1 2 3 4 5 Neude6 7 8 post9 10 office11 12 (Postkantoor)13 14 15 16 17 18 19often20 21 are22 called23 24 25marble26 27 in28 stone29 30 31industry.32 limestone contrasts nicely with the red brickwork. This property dates from was as ‘guard stones’. These are stones placed at the corners of houses to Geologically they are non-metamorphic limestones. Brick the first half of the sixteenth century and was built for Pope Adrian VI who afford protection against cartwheels. An example exists at the house De Tuff was expensive, primarily because it came from Utrecht. Limestone can also be 18seen29 at1 Huis2 3 Zoudenbalch,4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18gesloten18192920121 steen222323 4(Oudegracht24525626727828 364)9291030 1131.12 Legend3213 14 15 has16 it17 that18 19 at 20night21 22 devils23 24 used25 26 to27 28 29 30 31 32 Slate had to be transported a great distance and Donkerstraat 15-19. The façade of this play marbles with this block of red and grey granite. They made so much noise In the thirteenth century slate was already being mined in the Meuse valley so the Romans introduced other building property is built of Namur stone, a grey, that in about 1520 the stone had to be chained up. Notice, too, the very light- near the town of Fumay (France). Slate is commonly seen on older buildings materials. Clay was present in abundance fine-grained limestone from the Lower coloured granite façade of the property to which the stone is chained. where it has been used as a roofing material. Its finegrained, dense structure in the Utrecht area and was used as a raw Carboniferous that was extracted in the ensures that it is water tight, making it well suited to this application. Slates material for ceramic products. The Romans Maas valley near the Belgian city of Namur. Granite tend to be dark grey and flat, just like the old school slates. However, it is also baked bricks and tiles, including roof tiles, The façade was built in the second half of Granite is a plutonic rock. This material is used in both its raw and polished possible for slate to look like the Norwegian slate in the façade of Oudegracht from this building material that was both the fifteenth century. The coat of arms in the forms as a construction material and as façade18 cladding.29 1 2 3 Plutonic4 5 6 rocks7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 1727618 19 .20 Slate’s21 22 appearance23 24 25 26 27 depends28 29 30 on31 the32 material from which it is made and cheap and fire resistant. façade is made of ‘mergel’, a fine-grained come in a wide variety of colours. This is due to differences in mineralogical the conditions under which it was formed.

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