Münster city of peace
Münster in Westphalia, often referred to as the “most liveable city in the world” and the undisputed cycling capital of Germany, is a destination that is perhaps underestimated at first glance.
The City of Peace is located in North Rhine-Westphalia. It is best known for the Peace Hall in the historic town hall, its beautiful gabled houses and the Lamberti Church.
In 1648, after long negotiations, the Peace of Westphalia was concluded in Münster and Osnabrück, ending the Thirty Years’ War. This event left its mark on world history and Münster is still considered a city of peace today.
A visit to Münster is not just about following in the footsteps of peace. The city is home to an impressive museum landscape. First and foremost is the Pablo Picasso Art Museum, the only one of its kind in Germany with an extensive collection of his prints. Right next door, the LWL Museum of Art and Culture offers a fascinating journey through 1000 years of art history. For modern art and design, the Kreativkai at the city harbor is the top address.
The heart of Münster is Prinzipalmarkt, a historic market square lined with impressive gabled houses dating from the 12th to 17th centuries. The arcade invites you to stroll and store in exclusive stores. The historic town hall, a Gothic masterpiece and symbol of the city, is also located here. Inside is the Peace Hall, where part of the Peace of Westphalia was sealed in 1648 – a place of European significance.
In Münster, the bicycle, known here as the “Leeze”, is more than just a means of transportation – it is a way of life. A dense network of cycle paths, a car-free promenade that circles the old town and countless cycle lanes make exploring the city a relaxed pleasure.
The Aasee lake is just a few minutes’ walk from the old town. This man-made lake is the city’s main recreational area. Whether sailing, pedal boating, a walk through the sculpture park or a visit to the Allwetterzoo and the LWL natural history museum with planetarium – the Aasee offers nature and leisure activities for every taste.
Münster City of Peace – Sights
The Aasee is an artificial reservoir in Münster. It is about 2.3 kilometers long and about 40 hectares in size and also serves as flood protection. Together with the surrounding areas offers visitors an area of 90 hectares the local recreation area of Münster.
The weather is rather gloomy when the SOLAARIS stops at the shore of the Aasee and we leave the ship to visit the open-air museum Mühlenhof Münster. But we were lucky and during our stay the sun appeared from time to time - ideal conditions to explore the grounds.
St. Paul's Cathedral is one of the most important church buildings in Münster and a landmark of the city. It stands in the middle of the old town on the Domplatz. During our first visit to Münster, we unfortunately did not have time to visit St. Paul's Cathedral. On our second visit to the city,…
What do you associate with the Bauhaus era? We mainly architecture and furniture, but certainly also because we live in a settlement (UNESCO World Heritage Site Großsiedlung Siemensstadt in Berlin) where there are also buildings by Walter Gropius and we live in one of them. In Münster, we were able to get to know a…
Münster is a cycling city. Anyone who drives a car here has only themselves to blame. The cycle paths are - in contrast to our home town of Berlin - superbly developed. There are bicycle traffic lights everywhere, bicycle parking spaces and I have never experienced such bicycle-friendly drivers.Why isn't that the case everywhere?
An attraction for tourists from all over the world is the Peace Hall in Münster. During our time in Münster, a visit was definitely not to be missed, because history was made here.
Dusk is slowly falling over Münster and we are already excitedly walking back and forth in front of the Lamberti Church. Around 8:30 pm, the Türmerin begins her ascent into the tower of the church and we are allowed to accompany her.
We accepted an invitation to Münster and went on a search for traces around the theme of peace.
Accommodation and restaurant tips for Münster
Münster offers a variety of accommodations and good restaurants. It is often difficult to make a decision. We introduce you to the Hotel Überwasserhof and give you two restaurant tips that could not be more different.
Hotel Jellentrup
Factory Hotel
ATLANTIC Hotel Münster
Stadthotel Münster
Mövenpick Hotel Münster am Aasee
Tips for a relaxing vacation
There is a lot to experience in Münster and the "münstercard" offers visitors some advantages.
Christmas in Münster
Travel information about Münster
Arrival
By plane
Münster Osnabrück Airport is located about 25 kilometers north of Münster. The flight offer consists mainly of regional flights and some international connections.
Shuttle buses run from the airport to the main train station in Münster.
The nearest international airport is located about 55 kilometers south in Dortmund.
By train
The main station in Münster is located on the railroad line from Hamburg to the Ruhr area. ICE trains and IC connections stop here every hour. In addition, there are numerous regional trains to the surrounding area.
By bus
National and international long-distance bus lines regularly call at the long-distance bus stop near the main train station.
By car
The city is easily accessible by car. The A1 and A43 freeways pass by the city. In addition, several federal highways from the surrounding areas lead into the city.
By ship
Münster is located on the Dortmund-Ems Canal. There are limited moorings for pleasure boats at Kreativquai in the city harbor.
By bike
The 100 castles route with its 3 circuits starts and ends in Münster. The Europaradweg R1 leads through the city.
On the way...
By public transport
From the main train station, numerous bus lines travel in a star shape throughout the entire city area.
Tickets are available from ticket vending machines and at the sales outlets of Stadtwerke Münster.
By bike
Münster is considered the bicycle city at all. The bike paths are very well developed and there are bike racks everywhere, so that you can park your bike well.
Directly at the main station is a bike station and a huge underground garage just for bikes.
