The Dom Church draws large crowds for daily guided tours or just a moment of silence and peace. Construction of the Gothic St. Martin's Cathedral began in 1284 and took almost 250 years to complete. It replaced a previously existing Romanesque cathedral piece by piece. The ambulatory, the rest of the choir, the tower, the transept and the nave were built in succession. But by the beginning of the 16th century influences of the Renaissance and the Reformation led to dwindling financial support and enthusiasm for the colossal project. This is the reason why the nave was never completely finished. Its planned brick vaults and buttresses of sufficient height never came to fruition which ultimately led to disaster. In 1674 Utrecht was hit by a freak tornado and the nave of the cathedral collapsed. The last of the debris was only cleared away in 1826. Although the city fathers even considered demolishing the church completely for a time, it was eventually restored several times during the 19th and 20th centuries. The most recent restoration of the church took place between 1979 and 1988. The decorations of the facade were restored and the church pews rearranged. Despite all of the trials and tribulations the church has endured over the centuries, it's still famous throughout the Netherlands due to its 112.3m-high making it the nation's tallest cathedral spire and the city's tallest building. Church services are held Sunday (10:30 and 19:00), Monday (07:00), Wednesday (19:00) and a noon prayer on working days (12:30).
