Houten is the name of a town south of the city of Utrecht, the centre of the municipality of the same name. The municipality of Houten also encompasses the villages of 't Goy, Schalkwijk and Tull en 't Waal.
The old centre of Houten is located around the reformed church, the oldest parts of which date from the 12th century. The white-painted nave is typical for protestant churches in many parts of the country. The tower is an example of Utrecht Gothicism.
Despite centuries of protestant domination, many catholic communities had managed to survive in the province of Utrecht. The one in Houten however was not able to claim the old church back. Instead the catholics had themselves built a new church, named Onze Lieve Vrouwe ten Hemelopneming (' Church of Our Lady Assumption'), designed by architect Alfred Tepe. It was built in 1884-1885. This church hold a special position in Tepe's work for being the only one with a crossing-tower.
The reformed church of Schalkwijk consists of parts from different periods. The Romanesque tower is from the 13th century but has a Gothic, 16th-century upper segment. The choir has Romanesque origins as well, but after a rebuilt in Gothic style only parts of the original walls are left. In 1804 the choir was lowered. That same year the nave was demolished and replaced by the current one.
The Roman Catholic St. Michaël is a cruciform basilica a in rich neo-Gothic style based on Lower Rhine Gothicism. The church was built in 1878-1879 after a design by A. Tepe. It's one of the major highlights in the career of this architect.
On the cemetery of the St. Michaël stands this small cruciform chapel in neo-Gothic style. It is the tomb of the Van Wijckersloot van Weerdesteyn family and was designed by architect H.J. van den Brink.
The reformed church of Tull en 't Waal is a small, originally Gothic, church. Its current look with elements of Classicism is the result of a rebuilt in 1778.
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