Utrecht silver, Utrecht gold
Utrecht, Leidsche Rijn, Vleuten
The Catholic Church loved and loves splendour and opulently decorated houses of worship. For hundreds of years, therefore, she was the main commissioner for artists and craftsmen. In the city of Utrecht, home to a bishop, this led to countless churches full of paintings, tapestries, statues, coppersmiths and goldsmiths' work. And goldsmithing, they could do that in Utrecht. Until the eighteenth century, church utensils like chalices, monstrances and fonts were made by hand in large workshops, mostly in silver. The nobility and wealthy citizens bought jewellery and smaller utensils, often made of gold and precious stones. With the advent of the steam engine, these workshops turned into factories. They produced both pieces cheaper and in hefty quantities. Goldsmithing thus became affordable to a much larger public. In Utrecht's city centre, legendary manufacturing companies like Brom, van Roosmalen and Noyons flourished well into the 20th century. But with a declining number of believers, churches had less and less to spend, and the production of jewellery and small utensils was moved to low-wage countries. The large Utrecht workshops eventually had to close. Now, in the 21st century, consumers are again looking for unique, handmade jewellery made of gold, silver, precious stones and sometimes new metals like titanium. They find these in smaller workshops scattered around the city. Things have come full circle: artisan silversmiths are back. Much of the vast amounts of church silver and gold in Utrecht have been melted down over the centuries. What is left is no longer up for grabs on altars or in an easily accessible sacristy for safety reasons. At the beginning of this cycle route, however, you can go and see them in the Treasury of the Catharijneconvent. At the end, after a ride through the wonderfully beautiful Maximapark in Leidsche Rijn district, you can enjoy the beautiful premises of the Dutch Mint, where silversmiths and engravers made coins for countries from all over the world until 2020. And just a few steps aside from the route, if their shutters are open, you can check out the shop windows of a number of contemporary goldsmiths. Or, should you be led into temptation, step inside and try out if any of their wares suit you. This Premium cycle route was compiled by our editor: Wilmie Geurtjens
| Directions | Distance | Total distance | |
|
Start: Oudegracht , 3511 AV Utrecht | 30.3 KM | |
|
From
31
to
58
|
1491 M | 1.5 KM | |
| Head south on Oudegracht | 11 M | ||
| Turn left onto Lange Viestraat | 364 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Janskerkhof | 19 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Korte Jansstraat | 188 M | ||
| Turn left onto Voetiusstraat | 23 M | ||
| Turn right onto Achter de Dom | 159 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Nieuwegracht | 727 M | ||
| You are now at section 58 | 0 M | ||
|
From
58
to
38
|
480 M | 0.5 KM | |
| Head southwest on Tolsteegsingel | 369 M | ||
| Make a slight right to stay on Tolsteegsingel | 111 M | ||
| You are now at section 38 | 0 M | ||
|
From
38
to
80
|
56 M | 0.1 KM | |
| Head south | 16 M | ||
| Turn right | 40 M | ||
| You are now at section 80 | 0 M | ||
|
From
80
to
96
|
716 M | 0.7 KM | |
| Head southeast on Gansstraat | 716 M | ||
| You are now at section 96 | 0 M | ||
|
From
96
to
37
|
492 M | 0.5 KM | |
| Head southeast on Koningsweg | 471 M | ||
| Make a slight right to stay on Koningsweg | 21 M | ||
| You are now at section 37 | 0 M | ||
|
From
37
to
78
|
831 M | 0.8 KM | |
| Head southeast on Koningsweg | 22 M | ||
| Turn right onto Laan van Kovelswade | 627 M | ||
| Turn right to stay on Laan van Kovelswade | 182 M | ||
| You are now at section 78 | 0 M | ||
|
From
78
to
11
|
49 M | 0 KM | |
| Head southeast on Houtensepad | 49 M | ||
| You are now at section 11 | 0 M | ||
|
From
11
to
34
|
1614 M | 1.6 KM | |
| Head south on Houtensepad | 277 M | ||
| Turn right | 25 M | ||
| Keep left at the fork | 183 M | ||
| Continue straight | 295 M | ||
| Turn left | 36 M | ||
| Turn right | 227 M | ||
| Make a slight left onto Oude Liesbosweg | 571 M | ||
| You are now at section 34 | 0 M | ||
|
From
34
to
12
|
994 M | 1 KM | |
| Head west | 36 M | ||
| Continue onto Oude Liesbosweg | 401 M | ||
| Turn left onto Nijeveldsingel | 19 M | ||
| Turn right onto Bazuinhof | 188 M | ||
| Turn left onto IJsselsteinlaan | 10 M | ||
| Turn right onto Musketierlaan | 236 M | ||
| Turn right onto Hooft Graaflandstraat | 49 M | ||
| Turn left onto Liesbosweg | 55 M | ||
| You are now at section 12 | 0 M | ||
|
From
12
to
30
|
575 M | 0.6 KM | |
| Head northwest on Liesbosweg | 77 M | ||
| Turn left onto Verlengde Hoogravenseweg | 255 M | ||
| Turn left onto Verlengde Hoogravenseweg | 243 M | ||
| You are now at section 30 | 0 M | ||
|
From
30
to
13
|
520 M | 0.5 KM | |
| Head southwest | 421 M | ||
| Turn right | 59 M | ||
| Continue onto De Liesbosch | 8 M | ||
| Turn right onto Winthontlaan | 32 M | ||
| You are now at section 13 | 0 M | ||
|
From
13
to
73
|
803 M | 0.8 KM | |
| Head west | 518 M | ||
| Continue onto Taludweg | 151 M | ||
| Turn left onto Utrechtsestraatweg | 95 M | ||
| Turn left | 13 M | ||
| Turn right onto Utrechtsestraatweg | 19 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Utrechtsestraatweg | 7 M | ||
| You are now at section 73 | 0 M | ||
|
From
73
to
51
|
2555 M | 2.6 KM | |
| Head southeast on Utrechtsestraatweg | 7 M | ||
| Turn left onto Remiseweg | 232 M | ||
| Make a slight right onto Papendorpsepad | 2.2 KM | ||
| Make a slight right onto Groenewoudsedijk | 107 M | ||
| You are now at section 51 | 0 M | ||
|
From
51
to
23
|
1392 M | 1.4 KM | |
| Head northwest on Groenewoudsedijk | 720 M | ||
| Turn right onto Groenewoudsedijk | 672 M | ||
| You are now at section 23 | 0 M | ||
|
From
23
to
1
|
759 M | 0.8 KM | |
| Head west on Groenewoudsedijk | 25 M | ||
| Turn right onto Groenewoudsedijk | 238 M | ||
| Continue onto Rijksstraatweg | 348 M | ||
| Turn right onto Zandweg | 148 M | ||
| You are now at section 01 | 0 M | ||
|
From
1
to
19
|
512 M | 0.5 KM | |
| Head north on Burgemeester Verderlaan | 399 M | ||
| Turn left onto Burgemeester Verderlaan | 18 M | ||
| Turn right | 7 M | ||
| Turn left | 17 M | ||
| Turn right onto Hogeweide | 67 M | ||
| Turn left onto Groenedijk | 4 M | ||
| You are now at section 19 | 0 M | ||
|
From
19
to
21
|
1569 M | 1.6 KM | |
| Head northwest on Groenedijk | 1.1 KM | ||
| Continue onto Groenedijk | 496 M | ||
| You are now at section 21 | 0 M | ||
|
From
21
to
85
|
414 M | 0.4 KM | |
| Head north on Het Lint - Hoge Woerd | 414 M | ||
| You are now at section 85 | 0 M | ||
|
From
85
to
93
|
199 M | 0.2 KM | |
| Head west on Het Lint - Hoge Woerd | 199 M | ||
| You are now at section 93 | 0 M | ||
|
From
93
to
69
|
175 M | 0.2 KM | |
| Head north | 175 M | ||
| You are now at section 69 | 0 M | ||
|
From
69
to
78
|
571 M | 0.6 KM | |
| Head north on Het Lint - Het Zand | 65 M | ||
| Turn left onto Alendorperweg | 506 M | ||
| You are now at section 78 | 0 M | ||
|
From
78
to
22
|
1145 M | 1.1 KM | |
| Head northwest on Alendorperweg | 299 M | ||
| Turn right onto Esdoornlaan | 6 M | ||
| Continue onto Jeremiebrug | 12 M | ||
| Continue onto Alendorperweg | 828 M | ||
| You are now at section 22 | 0 M | ||
|
From
22
to
54
|
286 M | 0.3 KM | |
| Head west on Utrechtseweg | 261 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Utrechtseweg | 25 M | ||
| You are now at section 54 | 0 M | ||
|
From
54
to
90
|
1189 M | 1.2 KM | |
| Head northwest | 47 M | ||
| Continue straight | 98 M | ||
| Continue straight | 279 M | ||
| Turn left onto Hindersteinlaan | 765 M | ||
| You are now at section 90 | 0 M | ||
|
From
90
to
13
|
872 M | 0.9 KM | |
| Head northeast on Schoolstraat | 399 M | ||
| Enter the roundabout and take the 2nd exit onto Schoolstraat | 34 M | ||
| Exit the roundabout onto Schoolstraat | 439 M | ||
| You are now at section 13 | 0 M | ||
|
From
13
to
16
|
1032 M | 1 KM | |
| Head east | 22 M | ||
| Continue onto Maarssenseweg | 1 KM | ||
| You are now at section 16 | 0 M | ||
|
From
16
to
41
|
1455 M | 1.5 KM | |
| Head southeast on Strandboulevard | 928 M | ||
| Continue straight | 30 M | ||
| Turn left onto Het Lint - Vleuten | 80 M | ||
| Keep right onto Het Lint | 417 M | ||
| You are now at section 41 | 0 M | ||
|
From
41
to
70
|
910 M | 0.9 KM | |
| Head southeast on Het Lint | 29 M | ||
| Continue onto Rijnkennemerlaan | 881 M | ||
| You are now at section 70 | 0 M | ||
|
From
70
to
98
|
1609 M | 1.6 KM | |
| Head southeast on Rijnkennemerlaan | 1.4 KM | ||
| Continue straight | 23 M | ||
| Continue onto Beeldhouwersdijk | 187 M | ||
| You are now at section 98 | 0 M | ||
|
From
98
to
19
|
1303 M | 1.3 KM | |
| Head southeast on Beeldhouwersdijk | 105 M | ||
| Continue straight | 157 M | ||
| Continue onto Wessel Couzijnstraat | 99 M | ||
| Continue straight | 161 M | ||
| Continue onto Kattenkruidweg | 265 M | ||
| Continue straight | 516 M | ||
| You are now at section 19 | 0 M | ||
|
From
19
to
64
|
385 M | 0.4 KM | |
| Head east on Hogeweidebaan | 385 M | ||
| You are now at section 64 | 0 M | ||
|
From
64
to
15
|
1190 M | 1.2 KM | |
| Head east on Statendaalder | 494 M | ||
| Turn right onto Everard Meijsterlaan | 10 M | ||
| Turn left to stay on Everard Meijsterlaan | 67 M | ||
| Continue onto Everard Meijsterlaan | 619 M | ||
| You are now at section 15 | 0 M | ||
|
From
15
to
52
|
343 M | 0.3 KM | |
| Head southeast on Kanaalweg | 343 M | ||
| You are now at section 52 | 0 M | ||
|
From
52
to
26
|
860 M | 0.9 KM | |
| Head northeast on Muntbrug | 808 M | ||
| Turn right | 4 M | ||
| Turn left onto Westplein | 48 M | ||
| You are now at section 26 | 0 M | ||
|
From
26
to
16
|
530 M | 0.5 KM | |
| Head southeast | 53 M | ||
| Turn left | 35 M | ||
| Continue onto Van Sijpesteijnkade | 442 M | ||
| You are now at section 16 | 0 M | ||
|
From
16
to
31
|
365 M | 0.4 KM | |
| Head northeast on Smakkelaarskade | 23 M | ||
| Continue straight | 26 M | ||
| Continue onto Vredenburg | 37 M | ||
| Continue straight | 58 M | ||
| Continue onto Vredenburg | 221 M | ||
| You are now at section 31 | 0 M | ||
|
From
31
to
31
|
11 M | 0 KM | |
| Head north on Oudegracht | 11 M | ||
| You are now at section 31 | 0 M |