First Impressions on the City of Münster, Germany

Exploring the City of Münster

I am always thrilled at the idea that a fascinating city would be easy to reach. Luckily, Münster is very near Osnabrück. Hopping on a train to get there wouldn’t hurt. So I rode the train to Münster, and thirty minutes later, I’ve arrived.

Tell Me About Münster

Münster is one of the major cities of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The city was founded in 793 AD, allegedly when Emperor Charlemagne sent his emissary Liudger to have the Saxons convert to Christianity.

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The name Münster comes from the Latin word “monasterium” or monastery because a monastery was built on the spot where the modern city now stands. Today, the city of Münster is known as the “bicycle capital of Germany”.

Walking Around Münster

Personally, when exploring cities, I go to the so-called Altstadt and roam around it. With Münster, you can reach the altstadt on foot from the central train station within ten minutes.

The Altstadt is a charming spot, and the shops are very close to one another. First, you’ll be at Middelberg bakery cafe, and then next thing you know, you’ll find yourself shopping at Lush. I did find myself at Lush after a short visit at the city museum.

I kept walking further until I saw this beautiful church with a black-coloured spire. It’s name is St Lambert’s Church and I was so glad to meet it.

The black colour of its tower has got me looking at it a few times. I have a strong attachment to the colour and I can never agree more that it’s strikingly beautiful. I went to the corner of the church only to find out that there’s something more charming than the first few meters of the old town that I have walked on.

Lo and behold, there was the Prinzipalmarkt. This area is similar to the Marktplatz in Osnabrück, only that the buildings were glimmering in the summer sun.

The Prinzipalmarkt really looked enchanting in the sun. I have seen a photo of the place at night and it was stunning! I’m hoping I could witness Prinzipalmarkt in the evenings. The whole stretch of the Prinzipalmarkt is dotted with shops selling luxury brands, bookshops, cafes, and specialty shops. Walking along and marvelling at the bourgeois buildings at the same time, I found myself completely in awe. Would you believe that this area was absolutely destroyed in World War II? In fact, it was and renovation went under way for some eleven years, keeping the buildings close to the original. Thank goodness for conservation efforts.

I trained my eyes back to the beauty that was St Lambert’s. Mind you, this church isn’t the cathedral of the city. I wasn’t able to visit St Paul’s Cathedral because I was completely mesmerised by the very core of the old town.

As I observed, this spot has buildings with varying architectural designs, which makes the Prinzipalmarkt quite interesting to look at.

The photo above is the Stadthausturm Münster. This tower is the only surviving part of the former town hall. Miraculously, according to sources, Stadthausturm survived the war undamaged. Today, a daycare centre is located within its premises.

And it was time for some snack before going home. I went back to the middle of the old town and stopped by a cafe called Coffee Fellows. I ordered a glass of iced chocolate and a pesto chicken sandwich. Both yummy, especially the drink which I really enjoyed.

While on the train heading home, I remembered seeing three rectangular things hanging on the tower of St Lambert’s. As I was reading further, I found out that they were allegedly cages during the Middle Ages. According to some lore, three men were imprisoned in the cages after they were beaten to death. Their remains were left to rot in them for the public to see.

OK, enough with the details. That’s best left with history sleuths. Until next time, wherever my feet takes me!

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Also Read:

• Visiting Rotterdam
• Pointers for Getting A German Schengen Visa
• Things You Need to Do When You’re In a New City
• On the Bucket List: Cologne Cathedral, Germany
• A Tale of Really Going Up North: The Free Hanseatic City of Bremen

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