Yesterday, we had the honour of completing a truly special project: returning the oldest remaining piece of building in Utrecht to its original location.
This wall fragment was once part of the Johanniter Monastery, founded in the 12th century on what is now the Vredenburg Square. The Johanniters, also known as the Order of Malta, combined knightly ideals with spiritual devotion and were especially known for their dedication to caring for the sick. They built extensive hospitals, welcoming not only pilgrims but also locals regardless of faith.
The Utrecht monastery played a key role in this mission of charity and served for centuries as a haven for the needy. In 1529, however, the monastery was demolished to make room for Vredenburg Castle, a fortress commissioned by Emperor Charles V to assert control over Utrecht. Designed by renowned Italian architect Alessandro Pasqualini, the castle marked a shift from religious and charitable purposes to military and political ones. Today only a small portion of the original wall remains a silent witness to the site’s rich and layered history.
The wall was rediscovered in 1976 during the construction of the Tivoli Vredenburg music centre.
After seven years of planning, the stones were finally returned to their original spot. Lifting company Nederhoff brought the structure to the city, and PAX was tasked with putting it into place using a hydraulic lifting system. Not a simple job, the stones weigh 30,000 kilograms.
Precision was key, since the wall now sits directly above the underground parking garage of Hoog Catharijne. A crane couldn’t be used, so the lift rails had to be placed precisely on the garage’s concrete supports. Even the exact location of the wall was determined by the structural layout of the garage beneath.
