The Germany you haven’t heard of

When you think of Germany, what comes to mind is Munich, Berlin, the Black Forest and perhaps castles galore! However, I recently had the amazing opportunity to discover historical Germany! The beautiful Hanseatic cities of Munster, Osnabruck, Lubeck and Rostock in Northern Germany are just an hour or two away from each other. These four cities make a great road trip or train journey from Berlin or Dusseldorf. In this blog, I walk you though the 10 things to do in Munster, Germany’s cycling capital!

Why is Munster historic?

In the 12^th century, the merchants from the North German towns built an extensive trading network across political borders. They dominated the Baltic markets and their trading expanded west to England and south to France, Portugal, Spain and Italy. The merchants were from close to 200 cities and formed a group or trading community called the Hanse, aimed at protecting the interests of these merchants. The Hanse shared a common language, legal culture, and worked on mutual trust. Many cities eventually joined the Hanse and were known as the Hanseatic League cities. Hence, one of the top 10 things to do in Munster is to see the Gable houses in Prinzipalmarkt where the merchants used to live!

Pro Tip: Check out the Hanse Museum in Lubeck, a fellow historic city, for a full understanding of the Hanseatic League and the trading route that dominated much of the Baltic region.

Getting In

I flew from SFO to Zurich, then onward to Dusseldorf. From the airport train station, I took a train to my first stop in Duisburg, just a mere 10 minutes. Here I transferred onto a second train to Munster, just an hour away. I spent about 3 days discovering the top 10 things to do in Munster.

Pro Tip: When you arrive at Dusseldorf airport, take the skytrain upstairs (you don’t need a ticket) to the airport train station. Here, you can go to the counter or the machine to get a ticket to Munster.

Why You Should Visit Munster – “Biking Capital of Germany”

What really stood out to me about this city is the prevalence of cycling amongst ALL ages, the conservation efforts of the Allwetterzoo, the astronomical clock inside the cathedral, the three man sized cages on the spire of St. Lambert’s Church and the tower keeper.

Where to stay in Munster

A 10-minute walk from the train station had me standing in front of a modern building called H4 Hotel. It is perfectly located at the entrance to old town. It’s a standard hotel with a luxury feel. Yet it felt intimate and cozy thanks to my room with the window seats. The architecture is vaguely scandinavianish. The restaurant on site has a buffet spread that you can take advantage of in their lovely rooftop. 

Cycling through Munster

To really see Munster, get on a bicycle. Cycles are the common way to get around this historic university city and you will see people of all ages, cycling along the streets of what many call Germany’s prettiest city. While THAT is debatable, the area around Prinzipalmarkt is certainly very picturesque. According to an article that appeared in www.dw.com, Munster is Germany’s cycling capital and a stellar example of improving urban mobility. I couldn’t agree more.

Why the Old City was Re-Built

Much of the city was destroyed in World War II, thanks to its military presence. I was shocked to find out that about 91% of the old city was destroyed by the Allied air raids.  The old city was re-built, although many of the buildings were replaced with cheaper construction. More than 300,000 people live here and the city itself is small, and easy to get around.

If you want to feel that authentic, small city vibe, Munster is the place to visit in Northern Germany. So let’s take a look at the history and the top 10 things to do in Munster!

Pro Tip: Rent a cycle from your hostel or hotel and cycle through old town, knowing you can park your cycle anywhere as long as you lock it. Cycling parking garages known as Radstations accommodate your cycle for just 50 cents per day or 10 cents per hour.

Munster’s Brutal Anabaptist Rebellion

In 1530, there were two prominent groups in Munster: the Catholic aristocracy, and the poor reformist peasants led by a Protestant. The rising number of rebels became a threat to the Catholic church, which scared the prince-bishop who tried to expel the reformists and their leader. But the city council didn’t allow this and granted religious freedom to all groups. This attracted an Anabaptist leader into town and he decided to establish his reformist principals. The history surrounding the Anabaptists (seen as radicals even amongst their fellow Protestants) who believed that only adults should be baptized, is fascinating. The Anabaptist leader, who also wanted to establish a form of pure communism, was welcomed into Munster. Soon the city council was taken over by radical Anabaptist believers. The leader’s call to execute those who refused to be re-baptized meant many Catholics and Lutheran Protestants fled the town.

The Story Behind the Cages

In order to put an end to this madness and regain Catholic control over Munster, the prince-bishop gathered an army and decided to take back the city. The Anabaptist leader and two of his closest followers were captured, tortured and left to rot in the cages of the Lamberti Church for 50 years.  As I stared up at the cages on the spire of the church, I realized this serves as a reminder for all those who chose to go against authority or it can be seen as a testament to the impact it caused Germany from a political and religious standpoint well into the years ahead. Below is my list of top 10 things to do in Munster.

Pro Tip: Walk toward St. Lambert’s church and stand in front before you enter and crane your neck upward. You will spot the three man sized cages hanging from the spire.

10 Things to do in Munster

1. Cycle the Promenade: Munster has created a Promenade, an inner green belt on the site of what used to be the town walls, originally surrounding the historic center. Lime trees offer shade on both a walking path and a separate cycle track, encouraging eco-mobility. It’s a truly liberating feeling, wind in your hair, lush greenery on both sides as you cycle leisurely past pretty homes and parks. Hence, this is one of the top 10 things to do in Munster.
2. Aasee: Did you know the Aasee was awarded a prize for Europe’s most beautiful park in 2009?! One of the 10 top things to do in Munster is to cycle down the promenade to the Aasee, Munster’s central recreation area around the lake. It’s only a 15-minute walk from Prinzipalmarkt, and perfect for a picnic, walking, or biking around the lake. The park is also home to the Munster Sculpture Project organized every 10 years. But you don’t have to wait 10 years to see the project. After each project, Munster selects works of arts to be on permanent display around town.
3. Prinzipalmarkt: Prinzipalmarkt is the historical principal marketplace with 48 Gable houses (pronounced Geeble) where the merchants used to live. Today the shops under these houses still sell local items from clothes to accessories to housewares to bakeries. There are a few restaurants in this square with outdoor seating and one of the top 10 things to do here is to pick one for an afternoon of people watching and your liquid of choice.
4. City Hall (Friedensaal, Hall of Peace): Walk toward Prinzipalmarkt and gaze a moment at the historical city hall, a 14^th century Gothic building, with its high Gable (pronounced geeble) that was reconstructed after WW2. One of the top 10 things to do in Munster is to visit the city hall, especially the Friedensaal (Hall of Peace), where part of the Peace of Westphalia was confirmed in this hall, ending the Thirty Years’ War.
5. St Lambert’s Church: Once you leave the city hall and turn right you will come face to face with St. Lambert’s Church, in Gothic architecture. You can recognize this church anywhere because of its three man-sized cages hanging from the spire. What’s unique about this church is that it is the only church in Munster to have a door/tower keeper. Martje Salje holds the honor as first female tower keeper. Her role is to blow the horn everyday (except Tuesdays) from 9pm-12pm, and watch over the town from her high vantage point. Thanks to Germany Tourism, I had the honor of visiting her office in the tower after climbing 300 steps and seeing the remarkable views from her “balcony” as she “tooted” the horn.
6. St. Paulus Dom and Saturday markets: St. Paulus Dom is the cathedral church and is host to a wonderful market in the square as well as the astronomical clock, which escaped WW2 damage. Once a day at noon, you can see an automated sequence of the adoration of the magi. One of the top 10 things to do in Munster (after you’ve observed the automated sequence inside the cathedral), is to try the pea soup and traditional sausage at the market. I overdosed on freshly squeezed juices and dried fruit as well!
7. Allwetterzoo: During the summer months, one of the top 10 things to do in Munster is to head down to the Aasee and take the solar boat SOLAARIS to the All-Weather Zoo. More than just a zoo, it’s known for its conservation efforts.  For example, Allwetterzoo breeds endangered songbirds in order to help maintain healthy and self-sustaining populations. The zoo also breeds the endangered Bali Mynah. These birds suffer from illegal poaching for the cage-bird trade. In 2001, only 6 were left in the wild! The zoo is home to 20 species of the endangered Southeast Asian turtles, out of which one species was just released to China. There are classes for children and they can even feed elephants during feeding time.
8. Art Museum Pablo Picasso: Why is Germany’s first Picasso museum housed in Munster? There’s an interesting story here, but I will leave you to visit and find out for yourself!
9. LWL Museum for Art and Culture: One of the largest art and culture museums in the province of North Rhine-Westphalia, you will see collections from the Middle Ages to the present day in 51 well-designed rooms. I actually enjoyed strolling through this museum.
10. Harbour (Hafen): I cycled over to the harbor area to find a surprisingly relaxing vibe of cafes and restaurants. You will see many outdoor patios overlooking the Dortmund-Ems Canal, people walking their dogs, and several people just sitting on the promenade enjoying the water views. This is definitely one of the top 10 things to do in Munster!

Where to Eat/Drink in Munster

• Brauerei Pinkus – This is Munster’s oldest brewery, dating back to 1816 so be sure to sample the local beer here!
• Altes Gasthaus Leve – I dined on a mushroom pancake and strawberry beer at Munster’s oldest restaurant (1607). The atmosphere inside is utterly charming with multiple small seating rooms.
• Pension Schmidt – Student café, reminds me of a cozy living room
• Il Panino – great 4euro paninis and pizzas, sit on the fountain in the square in front of the shop and enjoy!

Overall, I was stunned at how inviting and welcoming I felt in Munster. As a solo traveler, it was super easy to get around, both by cycle and on foot. Munster is popular right now with mainly German and Dutch tourists, so you may not hear much English spoken around you. I found the city to be non-touristy and would classify this as a hidden gem in Northern Germany. My advice? Go before it becomes mainstream. Have you been to Northern Germany before or would you consider heading there after reading the top 10 things to do in Munster?