Oudaen

In 1276, a wealthy family built this massive stone tower house right on the edge of the Oudegracht canal. That canal runs just beside you now, and the building rising above you is Oudaen, one of the best-preserved medieval city houses in the Netherlands. Most wealthy residents of Utrecht built in wood back then. Stone was a statement. The Zoudenbalch family, who commissioned this place, wanted everyone to know exactly where they stood in the social order.

The house eventually passed to the Oudaen family in 1395, and that name stuck for good. Over the centuries, the building survived cannon fire during the storming of Vredenburg, was taken over by a student association called Veritas, and at some point became a home for the elderly. Not the most obvious career arc for a medieval fortress.

Today it operates as a restaurant, which means you can actually sit inside these ancient walls and order a beer. The municipality of Utrecht has officially designated Oudaen as an important monument, which is a formal way of saying: please don't knock this one down.

FC Utrecht fans might also recognize the name Zoudenbalch, since the club's training complex carries that same family name.