Fig trees, ferns & palms For centuries, merchants from far and wide came to the streets and squares of Utrecht to trade their goods. You could find fish, wine, corn, salt and linen markets. The advent of shops and department stores during the course of the last century put an end to many of these markets, and only the street names remain to remind us of what used to go on there. The famous Utrecht flower market is an exception. This market, which started in 1837, is still held today on Janskerkhof. Forty years ago, advanced plans to turn the square into a car park were (fortunately!) abandoned. So now, the plants that were in huge demand in the late 1970s (such as fig trees, ferns and palms) are still very much in evidence in our urban jungles today. > In collaboration with Het Utrechts Archief. Visit them om Hamburgerstraat 38 utrechtsarchief.nl