Houten

Houten is a municipality in the Netherlands, inside the province of Utrecht. Remains of a Roman villa were located within the old centre of Houten, made visible in a avenue pattern. There was a Roman villa on that spot. This constructing changed into discovered in the fifties. In the Dark Ages Houten took form as a rural centre. The area of the municipality of Houten become divided in the so-called 'gerechten'. The names of those districts are nonetheless in use: Schonauwen, Wulven, Waijen, Heemstede. A lot of elements in present-day Houten are reminders of its history.

Prominent inside the old centre 'Het Oude Dorp' are the Roman Catholic Church and the Protestant Church. The first accounts of this church date from the ninth century, the oldest components of the church are probably from the 11th century. Another prominent building is the eating place/cafe 'De Engel', already referred to inside the 16th century as a tavern. Former get entry to roads to the old centre are nevertheless recognisable by means of their names, consisting of the 'Odijkseweg' and 'Loerikseweg'. Houten had many orchards, but few have survived.