# Timeline of Utrecht

The following is a timeline of the history of the municipality of Utrecht, Netherlands.

## Prior to 18th century

* ~50 AD - Roman fortress built on what is now the Dom square as part of the Limes Germanicus. Named Traiectum to signify it was at a crossing of what was at that time the main branch of the Rhine (now the Oude Gracht)
* ~200 AD - Wooden fortress walls upgraded to imported tuff stone. Parts of these wall survive to date
* ~270 AD - Limes Germanicus including the fortress at Trajectum abandoned due to continued invasions.
* 636 - Chapel built by Dagobert I within the walls of the abandoned Roman fortress.
* 695 - Catholic diocese of Utrecht established.
* 720 - St. Martin's church founded by Willibrord (approximate date).
* 918 - Balderic becomes bishop.
* 1122
** 22 June: Town privileges confirmed by Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor.
** Oudegracht (canal) construction begins.
* 1145 - Smeetoren [nl] (tower) built (approximate date).
* 1267 - St. Martin's Cathedral built.
* 1279 - Buurkerk (church) rebuilding begins.
* 1370 - Public clock installed (approximate date).
* 1382 - St. Martin's Cathedral tower built.
* 1393 - Nieuwegracht (Utrecht) [nl] (moat) constructed.
* 1432 - Kleine Vleeshal [nl] built.
* 1440
** Guildhall St. Eloy's Hospice in use.
** Illuminated manuscript Hours of Catherine of Cleves created in Utrecht (approximate date).
* 1455 - 7 April: Gijsbrecht van Brederode becomes bishop elect of Utrecht after being elected by the chapters.
* 1455 - 13 September: David of Burgundy becomes bishop of Utrecht by papal appointment.
* 1459 - 2 March: Adriaan Florensz, the later Pope Adrian VI born.
* 1470-4 - First Utrecht Civil War to quell continued opposition to his rule David of Burgundy imprisons Gijsbrecht van Brederode leading to the first Utrecht civil war.
* 1471 - Printing press in operation (approximate date).
* 1481-3 - Second Utrecht Civil War, David of Burgundy temporarily removed from power, but restored after the Siege of Utrecht (1483)
* 1517 - Paushuize [nl] (residence) built.
* 1528 - Lordship of Utrecht established.
* 1532 - Vredenburg (castle) built.
* 1550 - St. Catherine Cathedral built (approximate date).
* 1577 - Demolition of Vredenburg castle begins.
* 1579 - 23 January: Treaty unifying northern provinces of the Netherlands signed in Utrecht.
* 1584 - Catholic property secularized.
* 1586 - Calvinists in power.
* 1620s - Utrecht Caravaggisti artists active.
* 1636 - Utrecht University and its library established.
* 1637 - Grote Vleeshuis [nl] built.
* 1644 - Schilders-Collegie founded.
* 1672-3 - Occupation by French forces.
* 1674 - 1 August: 1674 Netherlands storm [nl]. Major damage to several landmark building, most notably the collapse of the nave of the Dom church.

## 18th-19th centuries

* 1713 - International peace treaty relating to the War of the Spanish Succession signed in Utrecht.
* 1773 - Provincial Utrecht Society of Arts and Sciences [nl] founded.
* 1787 - 9 May: Prussians in power.
* 1795 - 18 January: Utrecht "acquired by the French."
* 1807 - Genootschap Kunstliefde [nl] (art society) formed.
* 1808 - Jewish cemetery, Utrecht [nl] established.
* 1813 - Jan van den Velden [nl] becomes mayor.
* 1816 - Utrechtsch Studenten Corps [nl] (student society) founded.
* 1823
** Abstede, Catharijne, Lauwerecht, and Tolsteeg become part of city.
** Oorsprongpark (Utrecht) [nl] opens.
* 1830 - Utrecht City Hall [nl] built.
* 1838 - City Museum of Antiquities opens.
* 1843 - Utrecht Centraal railway station opens.
* 1853 - Sonnenborgh Observatory established.
* 1866 - Population: 58,607 in city; 172,487 in province.
* 1872 - Aartsbisschoppelijk Museum opens.
* 1873 - Museum Kunstliefde established.
* 1879 - Regional Utrecht State Archives established.
* 1884
** Utrechtsch Museum van Kunstnijverheid [nl] (applied arts museum) opens.
** Population: 74,364.
* 1892 - Public library established.
* 1893 - Utrechts Nieuwsblad [nl] (newspaper) begins publication.
* 1894 - Utrecht City Orchestra [nl] founded.
* 1898 - Wilhelminapark (Utrecht) [nl] opens.

## 20th century

* 1902 - Aartsbisschoppelijk Paleis van Utrecht [nl] built.
* 1906 - Gemeentetram Utrecht [nl] (electric tram) begins operating.
* 1908 - Bioscoop Vreeburg [nl] (cinema) opens.
* 1913 - Rembrandt Bioscoop-Theater [nl] (cinema) opens.
* 1914 - Old Catholic St. Gertrude's Cathedral built.
* 1916 - Nationale Bankvereeniging (bank) established.
* 1919 - Population: 138,334.
* 1921 - Centraal Museum established.
* 1924 - Rietveld Schröder House built in the De Stijl design mode.
* 1927 - Louis Hartlooper Complex [nl] construction begins (approximate date).
* 1940 - Population: 165,029.
* 1950 - Population: 193,190.
* 1954 - Oudenrijn (section) and Zuilen become part of city.
* 1960 - Population: 254,186.
* 1961 - Neudeflat [nl] built.
* 1967 - 12 June: 1967 Utrecht explosion [nl] in Lage Weide [nl].
* 1968 - Sarasani [nl] cannabis coffee shop in business.
* 1970 - Football Club Utrecht formed.
* 1970s - part of moat converted to motorway.
* 1976 - Westraven [nl] hi-rise built.
* 1978 - Springhaver [nl] cinema opens.
* 1979 - Muziekcentrum Vredenburg (concert hall) and Museum Catharijneconvent open.
* 1980 - Population: 237,037 municipality.
* 1985 - May: Catholic pope visits Utrecht.
* 1987 - Leefbaarheidsbudget (participatory budgeting) introduced.
* 1998 - City Utrecht Archive established.
* 2000 - Population: 233,667.

## 21st century

* 2001 - Vleuten-De Meern becomes part of city.
* 2002 - Regio Randstad regional governance group formed.
* 2006 - Dick Bruna House [nl] museum opens.
* 2008 - Galghenwert [nl] hi-rise built.
* 2011 - Rabobank Bestuurscentrum hi-rise built.
* 2012 - Utrecht befriends the city of Portland, Oregon, USA.
* 2013 - Population: 321,916 municipality.
* 2014
** TivoliVredenburg concert hall opens.
** Jan van Zanen becomes mayor.
* 2015 - July: 2015 Tour de France cycling race starts from Utrecht.
* 2017
** May: Basic income pilot to begin.
** August: Bicycle parking garage opens.
* 2019 - March: 2019 Utrecht shooting
* 2020 - September: re-conversion of motorway back to moat/canal completed.