Mariaplaats

The Mariaplaats in Utrecht, named after the vanished Maria church, is a square with a rich history. The current square consists of the parts north and east of the location where the Maria Church once stood. On the eastern half of this spot, the Building for Arts and Sciences was erected in the nineteenth century. This building is now home to the conservatory, thus continuing to play a central role in Utrecht's cultural life.

Part of the square belonged to the immunity of St Mary's Church until the Reformation, within which the secular power could not levy taxes and had no authority. This area contained several canon houses, including the still-existing Mariaplaats 22.

Outside the boundaries of the immunity was a square that had served as a market place since 1391, where the famous annual markets were also held. These markets were essential for trading livestock, raw materials and goods.

A prominent feature on the Mariaplaats is the St Mary's Pump, a historic public water pump from 1844. With its iron crank, this pump was an essential source of water, especially during a cholera outbreak in the nineteenth century, when it was one of the few clean water sources in the city centre.