Online-Card - Münster

Unique museums, exciting events and top-quality shopping opportunities fill Münster’s historical old town with life.

Next to old impressive buildings with a large history you can also find modern architecture and contemporary sculptures. The unique atmosphere turns every visit into an unforgettable event – which is one of the reasons why Münster belongs to one of the members of the “Historic Highlights of Germany“ and to one of the most liveable cities world-wide (LivCom Award 2004).

Furthermore Münster is the cycling capital of Europe: more than 100,000 “Münsteraner” travel by bike each day; Münster is the frontrunner in cycling: Hardly any other city has such a well developed network of cycle paths and so many special cycling opportunities. It’s no wonder that in 2005 the ADAC and ADFC again crowned Münster the most cycle-friendly city in Germany. A wide range of different tourist cycling activities is on offer for visitors. A large selection of cycles for rental is available at the numerous cycle stations, e.g. Germany’s biggest cycle station at the central station. You too can enjoy this quality of life and feel the unique Münster flair!

Münster is a city of science – not only with its eight universities, but also by its congress facilities. The Halle Münsterland for example provides more than 30.000 square metres exhibition space and meeting rooms for more than 4.000 participants. With its 50.000 students Münster can offer the rich gastronomy and cultural scene of a student town like for example the “Kuhviertel” and the “Kreativkai”.

Special cultural opportunities can be found in the Museum for Art and Cultural History, in the Pablo Picasso Graphics Museum and in the Museum of Lacquer Art – unique in Europe. Due to the internationally renowned sculpture projects over 60 sculptures can be seen all over the city .

The historical old town offers cultural history within a small concentrated area: The Prinzipalmarkt is a unique city centre square, surrounded by historical merchant’s houses and the mighty Lambertikirche where currently a watchman can be seen and heard carrying out his duty in the evening and sounding his horn every half an hour.

In the 17th century in Münster history was written: In 1648 in the “Friedenssaal” in the Town Hall the Peace of Westphalia was declared, thus making the end of the Thirty Years War. Münster keeps alive this historical inheritance with modern work towards peace and understanding: Every two years the Westphalian Peace Prize is awarded in the Friedenssaal. In October Münster commemorates the anniversary of the declaration of peace with the presentation “1648 – Dialoge zum Frieden ”.

In the Salzstraße, the Hanseatic tradition within reach – on Hanseatic day original stones and the coats of arms of all the Hanseatic towns were set into the pavement. Also to be found proudly stood in the Salzstraße are the “Erbdrostenhof“ city palais and the Italian Baroque style Clemenskirche, both designs of the Baroque master architect Johann Conrad Schlaun.

The historical old town is the location for numerous events and festivals as the “Eurocityfest” and the "Schauraum”, the cultural weekend festival of museums and galleries. During Advent Münster lights up the region: each year the six Christmas Markets in the festively illuminated old town attract guests from all over Europe with over 250 stands.

The “Kreativkai” too, as the cultural area by the harbour with the Exhibition Hall for Contemporary Art, the Hot Jazz Club, Wolfgang Borchert Theatre and catering in old warehouses, invites to a cultural event of a truly special kind. The Harbour Festival will be presenting art, culture and a wide range of catering on an artificial beach.

Unique impressions are also guaranteed at the All-weather Zoo, Westphalian Equestrian Museum and open-air “Mühlenhof” museum by the Aasee. This is where the International Kite Festival takes place each year .

Münster is also the centre of the Münsterland parkland countryside with the internationally known cycling park and important palaces in the north of North Rhine Westphalia (e.g. the “Westphalian Versailles” Schloss Nordkirchen and Burg Hülshoff).