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Münster, GermanyPage 3
ABOVE: The Dom was built in the 13th Century and restored after being bombed in World War II. Münster sightseeing
The Prinzipalmarkt, a street of arcaded buildings in the middle of the old town's lively and prosperous shopping district. The Lambertikirche, a.k.a. the Church of St. Lamberti, with its three "Anabaptist cages" where the corpses of three executed Anabapist leaders were hung in the 16th Century. (Cardinal von Galen, who publicly opposed Hitler's euthanasia policy and secret-police terror tactics, gave his anti-Nazi speeches here in World War II.)
The Schloss, or castle, which lies just outside the western edge of the Altstadt and is now the seat of Münster's university. The Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster is the third-largest uni in Germany, with about 39,000 students (including more than 3,500 from abroad). The Aasee, a narrow urban lake southwest of the old town, which offers boat rides in summer. A park along the lake contains the Mühlenhof open-air museum, a natural history museum and planetarium, and the Altwetterzoo.
Sculptures
Guided tours Münster Information offers guided English-language walking tours of the Altstadt aon Saturdays between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. from May 1 through October 31. (No advance bookings required.) Depending on the month and day of the week, other walking tours, taxi and bus tours, and other itineraries may be offered for individuals and groups. One of the most popular walks is the "Night-Watchman's Tour," a blend of history and theatre led by a costumed watchman with a lantern. Specialized tours in English or Dutch are subject to demand, so it's a good idea to inquire (and, if possible, reserve) ahead of time. E-mail tourismus@stadt-muenster.de or phone Stadt-Lupe Münster e.V. at +49 (0)251 492 77 47 to learn what will be on the calendar during your visit. Next page: Museums in Münster
Photos: Presseamt Stadt Münster. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Nearly
all of Münster's important sights are within the Altstadt or old town,
which is encircled by the Promenade (a narrow green belt with bicycle and
walking paths that replaced the old medieval walls in the late 1700s). The
40-page
Münster City Guide, which is described on my
The
Dom, also known as the St-Paulus Cathedral, which was built in the 13th
Century. Look for the astronomical clock, a mechanical device from the
late Middle Ages that puts on a daily show at noon (12:30 p.m. on Sundays and
holidays). The cathedral was heavily damaged in World War II, and a chapel
contains the smashed bells that fell down from the tower in the bombing of
October 28, 1944. You can also see photos of the ravaged building as it looked
before being restored in the 1950s.
The
old Rathaus, or city hall, with its Friedensaal where the
Westphalian Peace was signed in 1648 to end the 30 Years War. The 14th Century
building was badly damaged by incendiary bombs in World War II, but the interior
of the Friedensaal had been removed at the beginning of the war and was returned
to the building after reconstruction.
The
Erbdrostenhof and the tiny Clemenskirche next door, which were
built in the mid-1700s and have been described as an "island of Baroque" in the
medieval plan of the old town.
The
Hafen, or harbor, which is beyond the railroad station and is home to the
Kreativkai, a restored warehouse district with clubs, restaurants, and
trendy businesses such as publishing houses and advertising agencies. Boats
connect the harbor with Dortmund via the Dortmund-Ems-Kanal.
Münster
has 57 major works of sculpture scattered about town. Ask the tourist office for
a copy of Sculptures in
Münster. The brochure shows where to find works by international artists
such as Claes Oldenburg's Pool Balls (see inset photo), Jorge Pardo's
Pier on the Aasee, and one of my own favorites,