Probably one of the most memorable and striking sights in Utrecht is the old canal Oudegracht. Two kilometres of a men-made river, flowing through the whole old town, has a unique feature, distinguishing it from other cities rich in canals and bridges.

So, what’s different about the Oudegracht Canal? It is a two-level dock.

Due to the peculiarities of local soils, the Rhine River has repeatedly changed its course over the centuries. Perhaps one part of the canal is an old riverbed, and another is a defensive moat of a local castle. When the canal was dug, the soil was simply thrown ashore. As a result, merchant houses which previously stood on the water level have become higher. It turned out to be very inconvenient: carrying goods from boats to warehouses while going uphill was very difficult. That’s why it was decided to dug underground passages that would lead directly to basements and warehouses. So, in the 15th century, a two-level dock appeared in the old canal. For many centuries, it was a source of vital energy for the city. By the end of the 19th century, the importance of cellars dropped dramatically, and the dock began to decay. However, in 1948, the Town Hall of Utrecht bought all the piers and pier walls and carried out large-scale restoration work, so the dock was preserved.

Today the Oudegracht is a centre of cultural, gastronomic, and tourist city life. While travelling by boat, you can enjoy looking at the beautiful buildings from the water. Unfortunately, there are no houses of the same age as the canal. Mostly, these are buildings of the end of the 19th century: town halls, churches, shops, and residential houses. But they are integrated into the canal so well that they aren't blots on the cityscape.

If you walk along the land part of the old canal, you can find extremely cosy cafes, famous restaurants, curious museums.

Yes, when moving along the canal, you can see almost all the main city sights without a map and guide services and enjoy an independent study of the local flavour.