To spot Paushuize, look for the splendid red-brick building with pale horizontal stripes and a striking stepped gable adorned with a statue, standing right on the corner where the street bends near the row of parked cars.
Time to step back in history-welcome to the Paushuize! Imagine standing here in the early 1500s, the air filled with the echo of stonemasons at work, as this proud house rose from the ground. The special pattern of red bricks and lighter stone stripes, with that iconic stepped gable, would make anyone feel like they’ve walked straight into the Renaissance. Look up; between the windows, see the statue of Christ Salvator, a reminder that this was once the dream home of a man with ambitions that reached all the way to the Vatican.
The name “Paushuize” means “Pope’s House,” and that’s not just a fancy nickname-this house was actually built for Adrianus VI, the only Dutchman ever to become pope. Back in 1517, Adrianus was still plain Adriaan Floriszoon Boeyens, with ties to the mighty Emperor Charles V over in Spain. He dreamed of coming home to Utrecht, perhaps to rest his scholarly head right here. But fate had a bigger adventure in store: in 1522, he was whisked off to Rome and crowned pope. As if that twist wasn’t dramatic enough, Adrianus died just a year later and never got to live in his house. Talk about paying a mortgage for a place you never get to move into! That’s got to sting.
Originally, this spot was tucked along the border of the old immunity of Sint-Pieter-a kind of medieval VIP area. The first Paushuize was a chunky rectangular structure with two spiral stair towers, perfect for impressing guests or maybe making a hasty escape if dinner got awkward. Only the tower on the Kromme Nieuwegracht side survives. After the Reformation, with centuries rolling by and new owners moving in, the house just kept growing and changing. The 1630s saw a grand new wing and an elegant stone gate with its own little bridge-imagine the click of hooves as noble carriages pulled up outside.
In 1714, a new entrance was added, and little by little, the interior grew even more impressive. One owner, Daniël d'Ablaing, added a stone relief of a Roman soldier (ready to throw a cannonball, no less) above the back gate, along with the cheeky Latin motto, “Non omne quod minatur ferit”-which means, “Not everything that threatens actually strikes.” Considering d'Ablaing was often in trouble for naughty behavior, that’s probably the most polite warning sign Utrecht has ever seen.
As the decades spun on, the Paushuize wore many hats-luxury hotel, royal residence, and even government headquarters. In the early 1800s, Madame Hortense, queen-in-exile and wife of King Louis Napoleon, spent a night here, and apparently liked it so much she let the owner advertise it as the “Hotel of the Queen of Holland.” Not long after, her husband Louis Napoleon himself bought the place and hung out here before moving to his grand palace.
From 1815 until the 1950s, the grand rooms became both office and home for Utrecht’s provincial governor. In 1830, architect Christiaan Kramm waved his magic wand and added the pièce de résistance: the shimmering “mirror hall.” Originally painted to imitate marble, then later brushed all white with real mirrors added, it was finally restored in recent years to its unique, dark red neo-Pompeian style-think ancient Roman chic by way of 19th-century Utrecht.
As you stand here, imagine grand weddings, political meetings, and perhaps a ghost or two from its lively past. Funny enough, Paushuize is still the life of the party-these days, it’s a chic events venue, hosting everything from ceremonies to celebrations.
And the statue in the wall? It still watches over the comings and goings-a silent, stony witness to centuries of Utrecht’s colorful stories. Before you head on, take a last look up and imagine the parties and intrigues echoing from these grand rooms-after all, every brick here has a story to tell.
