The building forms an X shape, topped with a central tower and cupola.

The Academy Building is the headquarters of Utrecht University and is located in a corner of the cathedral square. The University of Utrecht was established (1636) from its origins in some outbuildings of the Dom, particularly the cloister and chapter house. This last room is connected to the Academy Building and today still serves as an auditorium. Intended as a gift for the 250th anniversary (1886), there was a protracted battle between proponents wanting Gothic Revival and Renaissance Revival, the style in which it was finally built. Dutch language Wikipedia