Postkantoor Utrecht-Neude (Main Post Office), Utrecht

The former Main Post Office of Utrecht is a striking architectural landmark on Neude Square. Originally, the site housed the Cecilia Convent, built around 1400 for noble sisters of the Third Order of Saint Francis. After the Reformation, the city took possession of the convent, which remained active until 1647. It was then repurposed to accommodate the Rijksmunt, the Royal Mint, which operated here until 1911. A plaque inside the current building, designed by Maarten Pauw, commemorates this history, marking the printing of the Netherlands’ first postage stamp in 1852.

The current post office was designed in the Amsterdam School style by architect J. Crouwel Jr. and built between 1919 and 1924. The building's grand hall is notable for its high parabolic arches, creating an imposing interior. Six bluestone statues by sculptor Hendrik van den Eijnde adorn the hall, with five figures symbolizing the continents alongside their respective animals, while the sixth represents trade and prosperity. Van den Eijnde also crafted the two stone lions outside the entrance, which were added later at the request of Utrecht residents. Inside, a large clock made by De Porceleyne Fles and a stained-glass window by Richard Roland Holst depicting the Dutch Virgin in the Garden of the Provinces further enhances the building’s artistic heritage.

Renovated in the 1970s under René van Raalte, the building remained a functioning post office until October 28, 2011, when it became the last independent post office in the Netherlands to close. After years of uncertainty, the structure was repurposed into a cultural hub in 2016, now featuring the Neude Library, a cinema, an auditorium, a brasserie, a café, and exhibition spaces. On April 23, 2020, Broese Booksellers inaugurated their new shop inside the historic building, with the opening officiated by Dutch writer Ronald Giphart.

Today, the former Main Post Office stands as a prime example of early 20th-century Dutch architecture and a vibrant cultural space in Utrecht.