Utrecht

Utrecht (/ˈjuːtrɛkt/; Dutch pronunciation: [ˈytrɛxt] ( listen)) ceety an municipality is the caipital an maist populous ceety o the Dutch province o Utrecht. It is locatit in the eastren corner o the Randstad conurbation, an is the fowert lairgest ceety o the Netherlands wi a population o 316,448 on 1 Februar 2012.

Utrecht
Ceety an municipality
Oudegracht
Banner Coat airms
Coordinates: 52°05′36″N 5°7′10″E / 52.09333°N 5.11944°E / 52.09333; 5.11944
Kintra	Netherlands
Province	Utrecht
Govrenment
• Mayor	Aleid Wolfsen
Area (2006)
• Ceety an municipality	99.32 km2 (38.35 sq mi)
• Laund	95.67 km2 (36.94 sq mi)
• Water	3.64 km2 (1.41 sq mi)
Population  (1 Februar 2012)
• Ceety an municipality	316,448
• Density	3279/km2 (8,490/sq mi)
• Metro	640,000
	Source: CBS
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Area code(s)	30

Utrecht's auncient ceety centre features mony biggins an structurs frae the Early Middle Ages. It haes been the releegious centre o the Netherlands syne the aicht century. Currently it is the see o the Airchbishop o Utrecht, the maist important Dutch Roman Catholic leader.^[1][2] Utrecht is the see o the airchbishop o the Auld Catholic kirk, titular heid o the Union o Utrecht (Auld Catholic), an the location o the offices o the main Protestant kirkj. Till the Dutch Gowden Age Utrecht wis the ceety o maist importance o the Netherlands till Amsterdam became its cultural an maist populous centre.

Utrecht is host tae Utrecht University, the lairgest university o the Netherlands, as well as several ither institutes for heicher education. Due tae its central position athin the kintra, it is an important transport hub for baith rail an road transport. It haes the seicont heichest nummer o cultural events in the Netherlands, efter Amsterdam.^[3]