You HAVE to Visit Münster!

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Have you heard of the city of Münster? No, not the cheese! When people say they’re visiting Germany, they often list cities like Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, and Cologne. But I’m here to tell you, that Münster is not a city to miss out on. I immediately fell in love with this university city in North Rhine-Westphalia. There’s tons of museums, aesthetic new and old architecture, hip places to eat and get coffee, and plenty of green space to relax and enjoy the few sunny days Münster has per year.

Things you didn’t know

OK, if you have never heard of Münster then there’s a lot you don’t know. But here are my favorite facts about the city.

Bike Capital of Germany

My initial reason for coming to Münster was to complete the 1000 km long 100 Schlösser Route bike trail and see lots of castles. Little did I know that Münster has been Germany’s bike capital for years. That is, until 2018 when Karlsruhe took over. We’ll have to see if Münster can regain its title in the ADFC’s 2020 bike climate survey. Anyways, there are nearly two bikes per person in the city and you will see them everywhere! I could not believe it when I arrived. It was like being in Amsterdam, but without the canals. The city is very bike friendly. There are cycle lanes prominently drawn on all roads and designated cycle paths on the sidewalk. There are bike garages in the city center and at the main train station to keep your bike safe, but you’ll also find plenty of bike parking throughout the city.

Friedenssaal

Münster is where the Peace of Westphalia took place. For those of us with only US history courses under our belts, the Peace of Westphalia was signed in 1648 after 4 years of negotiations to end the Thirty Years’ War. This war from 1618 to 1648 was fought between the Protestant and Catholic states of the Holy Roman Empire, although it was not only about religion but borders as well. This treaty was signed in the Friedenssaal (peace hall) in Münster’s Rathaus. Today you can visit this impressive room. There are elaborate carved wooden benches and paneling. Several dozen portraits line the walls portraying the key delegates.

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Hanseatic City

Münster is a Hanseatic City. The Hanseatic League was a confederation for merchant towns banded together for defense and commerce which dominated Baltic Sea trade from the 12^th to 14^th century. But Münster isn’t on the Baltic Sea, you might be wondering. And you’d be right! Münster is landlocked, but that didn’t deny it entry into the League as connections overland were also valued. Münster celebrated 1200 years of its membership in the league in 1993 by inviting any Hanseatic City to bring a stone from their home to place in Münster’s Hanse walk of fame in Salzstrasse.

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Hafen

I know, I know, I just said Münster is land-locked. But believe me, they have a harbor! The Dortmund-Ems Canal runs through the eastern side of the city with a harbor just on the other side of the main train station. The once industrial harbor has been transformed into an area for gastronomy and leisure. There are plenty of benches along the water to enjoy the view and a multitude of restaurants to choose from. The buildings on the harbor are a mix of old and new – old warehouses have been turned into loft apartments, while new futuristic office buildings fill in any space in between.

Things to Not Miss!

Principalmarkt

Although the city was 92% destroyed during the Second World War, it has been rebuilt in a fantastic old-meets-new style. The area around the Principalmarkt has maintained its pre-war characteristic by rebuilding similar facades and continuing to have gold lettering for shop names instead of your typical bright lights. The trick works too! Walking through the Principalmarkt has the feel of being in an old town with gingerbread houses. But if you take a closer look, almost all of them appear modern and less detailed than their original counterparts. I could not stop taking pictures of this area of town even though I was here almost daily. I just loved it!

Tip: Don’t miss out visiting Münster on a Wednesday or Saturday to get in on the market that happens between the Principalmarkt and the St Paulus Dom Platz. You can stock up on fruits and veggies, cheese, meat, flowers, and baked goodies or grab a snack from one of the many food carts and enjoy people watching.

The Churches

I don’t even know that it’s possible to miss the churches since Münster has over 90 of them to discover! The top picks in the Altstadt would be the Lambertikirche, St Paulus Dom, the Überwasserkirche, and the Clemenskirche. The Lambertikirche dates back to 1375 and has 3 cages hanging out of the spire in which the tortured and executed Anabaptist leader Jan van Leiden and his cronies were displayed. Within the St Paulus Dom, you can find a 16^th century astrological clock, one of the few in the world that old which still functions.

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Südviertel – Hammer Straße

If you get tired of the hustle and bustle of the city center, head southwards towards the trendy Südviertel. Hammer Straße in particular has lots cool bars and restaurants, bakeries and cafes, as well as fun stores and gift shops. The square in front of St. Joseph’s church has a different food truck on several days during the week as well as a summer strawberry and asparagus stand (a staple combo in Germany!).

Something else not to miss: Weimar! Check out Matthias and Kent’s post 🙂

Art

Who knew that there was so much art in Münster? There’s enough here to keep you coming back for more! After 3 weeks, I still didn’t make it to of the art museums.

LWL Museum für Kunst und Kultur

The LWL museum contains art throughout the centuries. Beginning with the 12^th century religious art all the way up through present day. The two floor museum and its special exhibit can easily fill a whole afternoon. Explanations can be found in English and German. What I particularly liked about the museum was its design! The rooms are all large and spacious allowing you to really focus in on the artworks. When you do pass by a window, they are so large and wrap around corners in a way which makes you feel like you can reach outside. And many of the windows have beautiful views of the St Paulus Dom and Überwasserkirche.

Picasso Museum

A must see for any Picasso fan! The first floor houses works by the man himself while the second floor is dedicated to his contemporaries (while I was there: Matisse, Chagall, and Braque). Be sure to take a look out onto Picasso Square from the staircase, as the artist’s likeness is displayed in the pavers on the square. Unfortunately, all written descriptions in the museum are in German only, although an audio guide is available.

Lackkunst Museum

The Museum for Lacquer Art displays many examples of this technique from the Far East and Germany. I really liked the South Korean video which shows how labor intensive the process is. Even though the sound is muted, you can still see how arduous it is to create these beautiful works of art. This museum, with the fantastic staircase looking like spilled paint, is free to visit.

Westfälische Kunstverein

I didn’t make it to this art museum located directly next to the LWL Museum für Kunst und Kultur. They have changing exhibitions from contemporary artists. A visit for the next time I’m in Münster!

Castles

What would a post from me be without castles, amiright? Münsterland is the land of Wasserburgen (moat-defended castles), and there are a few which can be easily visited from Münster.

Fürstbischöfliches Schloss Münster

The castle located directly on the edge of the Altstadt in Münster is home to the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster. Built in 1787, the Schloss is not open for visitors, but you can still spend time exploring and relaxing on the grounds. Behind the palace is a free botanical garden which is a lovely way to escape the city for a bit.

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Erbdrostenhof

At the end of the Hanseatic stones in the Salzstraße, you’ll find the Erbdrostenhof. This palace was built in 1753 for the Erbrdosten Adolf Heidenreich Freiherr Droste zu Vischering. It is not possible to visit the Erbdrostenhof as today it houses administration and offices for the LWL Museum and other cultural entities. The building now mostly belongs to the state thanks to its help with the renovations, especially the baroque ballroom, after WWII destruction. However, the Erbdrosten still maintains one apartment in the building.

Burg Hülshoff and Haus Rüschhaus

This excursion makes an excellent day trip from Münster. These two castles can be swiftly reached by bike as they are just 10 kilometers away. Both Wasserburgen belonged to the von Droste-Hülshoff family and were resided in by one of Germany’s famous poets: Annette von Droste-Hülshoff. Haus Rüschhaus was closed while we visited due to Covid, but the garden was still available for a stroll. We really enjoyed visiting the museum at Burg Hülshoff because the audio guide has been so well created. Each room has a brief introduction and then offers you the option of listening further about several objects of your choice. Then you can explore the garden surrounding the castle or have a bite to eat at the restaurant in the castle courtyard.

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Nature

Despite being in the city, there are several opportunities for enjoying fresh air and relaxing in some green space. Besides the above mentioned Botanical Garden at the Schloss, there’s also the long skinny Aasee and the city’s green ring: the Prominade.

Aasee

The Aasee in Münster is the epitome of leisurely green space. The north end is just a short walk from the city center and is the location of restaurants as well as a departure station for the Solaaris boat ride. The Solaaris, a solar powered boat, can take you to the Allwetter Zoo and to the Mühlenhof as well. The Mühlenhof is an open air museum with over 30 historic buildings from 19^th and 20^th century villages including a bakery, a smith, a mill, weaver’s cottage, and chapel. It is several kilometers to walk around the entire Aasee and there is plenty of space on the sloping banks to have a picnic, read a book, or take a nap.

Promenade

Along where the city wall would have been is nowadays the location of the Promenade. This green ring actually circles the entire Altstadt and is car free. You can walk, run, roller blade, and cycle here. Just be careful as a pedestrian because the big path in the center is for cyclists!

100 Schlösser Route

Last but not least, you can cycle the 100 Schlösser Route starting in Münster. The 100 Schlösser Route is a 1000 km long bike ride through Münsterland which goes by a ton of castles. You don’t have to do all thousand kilometers, but it’s a great way to explore more of the region. If you’re interested in this bike ride, you can read an overview here.

Two More Tips:

Münster Card

The Münster Card is a visitor’s ticket which allows you free entry to various attractions throughout the city. You can get a 1 or 2 day card and is really great if you have just a short time but want to see a lot. We used the card to visit the Friedenssaal and Mühlenhof, get a city tour, and take a trip on the Solaaris.

Lüddinghausen – an easy day trip

If you need to pack in another castle, then Lüddinghausen is two for the price of one. Not only is the Altstadt super cute, but there are TWO castles here to see. Schloss Lüddinghausen is not open for visitors as it is used as an educational center, but you can visit the museum inside the impressive Burg Vischering. I raved all about it in my report on the south route of the 100 Schlösser Route.

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Wow, I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted! There’s so much to see and do in Münster that a weekend is not enough. I have spent 3 weeks here on the 100 Schlösser Route exploring the city without crossing off everything on my list. As you can see, you really have to get to Münster!