Stadt Munster Germany North Rhine-Westphalia
Frequently Asked Questions
On the Dortmund-Ems Canal, whose locks are among the busiest on the German waterway network. The former municipal basin, the Stadthafen, has traded its warehouses for restaurants, galleries and offices, among preserved cranes and lively terraces.
On foot, or, more in the local spirit, by bicycle. Münster is regarded as Germany's cycling capital: there are more bicycles than inhabitants, and the cycle paths form a network many big cities envy.
The long square at the heart of the city, lined with gabled houses whose arcades shelter shops and cafés. Largely destroyed in the Second World War, it was rebuilt on the original plot lines, reusing the original materials wherever possible.
The Friedenssaal in the gothic town hall, where part of the Treaties of Westphalia ending the Thirty Years' War was concluded in 1648. Panelled in dark woodwork, it is open to visitors and still holds the portraits of the negotiators.
They recall the grim fate of the Anabaptist leaders who briefly made Münster a rebel city. The three 16th-century cages still hang from the tower at the north end of the Prinzipalmarkt, and they intrigue everyone who looks up.
Wednesdays and Saturdays, on the square in front of St. Paul's cathedral: it is one of the finest open-air markets in the region. Westphalian cheeses, smoked hams, flowers and vegetables from the surrounding countryside — perfect for assembling a picnic.
Its 16th-century astronomical clock, whose mechanism comes to life at set hours. The building occupies a generous square in the heart of the old centre, a short walk from the Prinzipalmarkt.
Three easy options: Lake Aasee, minutes from the centre, with grassy banks popular with walkers; the botanical garden tucked behind the prince-bishop's castle, free to enter; and the lanes around the Rothenburg, full of bookshops and small stores.
No, it is one of the most restful on the network. The ground is flat, the centre compact, and the energy of a university city with tens of thousands of students balances the solemnity of the monuments without ever rushing you.
The euro, cards accepted without difficulty. Bring a raincoat: locals cycle in all weathers with waterproofs on their backs, and that detail says a good deal about the Westphalian climate.
