Mini-Dom tower Leidsche Rijn

Remarkable size replica

Utrecht - Leidsche Rijn is the large urban expansion on the edge of Utrecht, but with the arrival of a real Dom Tower, the Vinex district now has its own version of the famous monument within its borders.

Too big for the garden

Chris van der Sman from Nootdorp has been building miniature churches and towers in his own backyard in Nootdorp for sixty years. For example, he previously built the tower of the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft and also the Old Church in Delft. This one is - completely true to life - out of alignment. And the structures are all real masonry.

However, the replica of the Dom Tower became so large that it stood in two parts next to each other in the garden. However, the 88-year-old builder needed space for a new structure in 2023; and the Dom Tower naturally belongs in the Cathedral City itself. This happened and the tower was placed on a truck to be placed in Leidsche Rijn, in Utrecht.

Real brickwork

The Dom Tower is made of real stones. These bricks are 2 cm long, 1 cm wide and 6 mm thick and are made by hand by Chris. The stones are slightly larger in proportion than the original for strength. The tower has weathered many storms. The structure weighs about seven tons.