Online-Card - Soest

The impressive old part of the Hanseatic City of Soest is dominated by significant historical monuments built of the green sandstone which is typical of Soest. In addition, trim rows of half-timbered houses, narrow lanes and cosy gastronomy invite you to stroll or tarry in their historical atmosphere. The conference centre “Stadthalle” and, in particular, the cultural centre “Alter Schlachthof” (Old Abattoir) provide pleasure and entertainment with their programmes of events attracting visitors from far and wide. Numerous well-known artists worked in Soest: Christian Rohlfs, Emil Nolde, Hans Kaiser, Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, to name but a few. Especially the expressionist Willhelm Morgner has left his mark on the city. Further information, be it tourist enquiries or information of a general nature, can be found on the City of Soest web page.

The economic structure is traditionally typified by trade and administration. Since the end of the 1960s, however, important manufacturing businesses have been established due to increased political enterprise. Especially electro-technical and aluminium industries are represented by internationally relevant firms. At the present time, however, approx. 2/3 of the workforce is employed in the service sector. In addition to retail trade, industrial and IT wholesale businesses play an important role in the economic life of Soest. Soest was part of the Hanse from its very beginnings. The town was in possession of one of the four keys (along with Visby, Lübeck and Dortmund) to the Hanseatic Treasure kept on the Baltic island of Gotland and was therefore without doubt regarded as the “vanguard” and “principal city” of the Hanseatic League.