The Lower Canals of Utrecht
Amsterdam without the crowds, at eye level with the water.
Utrecht's Oudegracht is one of the strangest urban waterways in Europe. The canal was cut in the eleventh century as a shipping route, and warehouses were built along its banks with cellars that opened directly onto the water. Over the centuries the streets rose but the wharves stayed low, so today Utrecht has, in effect, two canals: one at street level and one about four meters below it, at werf level.
Walking the werven
The best introduction is to walk down one of the stone staircases near Vismarkt and simply follow the lower path along the water. The stone wharves are narrow, the water is right there, and the arched cellars beside you are now mostly cafes and small restaurants. In the middle of the day these are pleasant and full. Come at nine in the morning and they are yours.
The section between Bakkerbrug and Weesbrug is the best preserved. Some of the cellars still have their original iron rings for tying up cargo boats. On the water side, look for the low round stones set into the wharf: they were meant to keep barrels from rolling over the edge.
Where to sit
Two spots are worth planning around. The first is the small stone terrace at Kromme Nieuwegracht near the Paushuize; the canal is quieter here and the surrounding houses are seventeenth century townhouses that were never demolished. The second is the werf level cafe called Broei, on the Stadsbuitengracht just west of the center, which sits on an old shipyard and has a long wooden terrace over the water.
For a longer sit, cross the Domplein toward the Pandhof, the cloister garden of the Dom Church. The garden is free, quiet, and open to the sky except for one covered walk lined with medicinal plants labeled in Latin and Dutch.
A short detour
If you have another hour, walk north along the Oudegracht to the small Museum Speelklok. It is a museum of self-playing musical instruments, from cylinder music boxes to a full seven-meter fairground organ, and every tour includes actual playing. This is one of the strangest and most delightful museums in the country.
Practical notes
- The lower path floods once or twice a year. Check the news if you are visiting in February.
- Bring shoes with grip. The old brick is slippery when wet.
- The intercity from Amsterdam Centraal takes twenty five minutes and runs every ten minutes.
- Sunday morning is the quietest time in the whole center.
Utrecht is one of the great small cities of Europe, quieter than its neighbor to the west, and the werven are the single best reason to make the trip.
