Münster Germany Map

About City

The city of Munster is located in the North Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany (German: Deutschlandkarte). It is the capital of Munsterland and the cultural capital of Westphalia. On your tour to this charming and vibrant city, you feel that you have stepped back in time. This is because after the city was completely devastated in World War II, it was rebuilt in an exact copy of its medieval form, eschewing modern designs. The city is also noted as the bicycle capital of Germany, more than 500,000 bicycles also known as Leaze ply the roads of the city and are used by the large student community residing in the city.

The city was founded in 794 when Ludger arrived here on the orders of Charlemagne to establish Christianity. In 797, he founded a catholic school and the first cathedral was completed in 850. The city became the center of the Anabaptist rebellion in 1534. In 1648, the Peace of Westphalia was held which marked the end of the Thirty Years’ war and the Eighty Years’ war. The city was damaged considerably in the Second World War but was rebuilt in the 1950s. Today it covers an area of 302.89 sq km and has an approximate population of 300,000.

Geography

The city is located on the River Aa, about 15 km before it meets the River Ems and its center is 60 meters above sea level. A ridge named Münsterländer Kiessandzug crosses the city from north to south. The elevation varies from 44 meters at River Ems to 97 meters at the Muhlenberg to the northwest of Munster. A major part of the city is agricultural.

The city enjoys a temperate type of climate. Summers are warm and sunny while winters are mild. Snowfall is extremely rare, but the city sees an above-average number of rainy days though the amount of rainfall is average.

How to reach (transport)

Over 1.5 million people use the Münster Osnabrück International Airport of Munster every day. It provides flights to several cities within Germany and Europe. The airport is situated about 25 minutes drive away from the city center. You can also travel to Munster by rail which is connected to the Deutsche Bahn rail network. Motorways A1 and A43 provide road connections to other destinations like Rhineland, Bremen, and Hamburg.

Culture (fairs and festivals) and traditions

Munster is the most multi-cultural city in Germany. The city is noted for its warm and friendly hospitality. Every year, a huge student population ensures to come here preferably because of its popular University. It is a very green city and was named “The World’s Most Livable City” in 2004.

Some of the important events and festivals celebrated here are as follows:

• The largest event is the Send Funfair which takes place three times a year. Over 250 fairground operators come here from all over the country and the event draws a million spectators.
• The International Kite Festival is held in summer near Aasee – the artificial lake.
• The Kreuzviertel Festival is celebrated in September. Various shows, flea markets,s, and mouthwatering food are its special attractions.
• A huge street party is held in Hammer Straße where there is music, food, and wares presented by a wide variety of artisans, craftsmen, and merchants.
• The UCI Muensterland Giro is a race of professional cyclists is held in October on some of the most scenic routes of Munster.

Points of interest (places to visit)

Though there are a number of things to see, you should first start with the famous promenade. This is a winding cycling path that follows the route of the original medieval town wall. You can get some of the best scenery of Westphalia on this path. Other places of interest in Munster are as follows:

• St. Paul’s cathedral is one of the most impressive features. There is an astronomical clock where the zodiac signs are hand painted. A performance is held each day at noon.
• The Old City Hall or the Altes Rathaus is a historic landmark because this is where the Treaty of Westphalia was signed.
• St. Lambert Church is another landmark – famous for the three cages that are hung here. These are the cages in which the corpses of the leaders of the Anabaptist movement were put on display.
• The city is sometimes known as the city of 100 Moated Castles and you can see all of them if you follow the bicycle promenade.
• There are more than 30 museums in the city. They include the Munster city museum, the museum of Pablo Picasso, the LWL Museum of natural history, the LWL Museum of art and culture, the Peace hall, and many more.

Accommodation

Those looking for some great stay options here won’t be disappointed at all. Mercure, Treff, Movenpick, Mauritzhof, Kaiserhof, Conti etc are luxury hotels offering excellent facilities and convenient location. Windthorst, Stadthotel, Ibis, Marco Polo etc are good quality three star hotels. Budget accommodations are provided by Pension Haselmann, Busch, Zur Prinzenbrucke, and others.