Envision a tranquil escape. Here at the Ameshorst, nature unfolds its serene beauty. It is designated as NSG Ameshorst. This means Naturschutzgebiet. That is German for nature reserve.
Münster’s history stretches back to the 6th century AD. However, the city officially came into existence in 793. Frisian missionary Liudger founded the “Monasterium” cloister then. Münster became a cathedral city as early as 805. The city remains an active center of the Roman-Catholic church.
Münster received its town charter in 1170. It thrived economically in the 14th and 15th centuries. It was an outpost of the Hanseatic League. This was Europe’s most influential trade network.
Two pivotal events forever mark Münster’s place in history. John of Leiden established the Anabaptist theocracy in Münster in 1534. He declared himself king. The Anabaptists’ reign ended violently. Soldiers of Prince-Bishop Franz von Waldeck suppressed the faction. Three wrought-iron cages still hang in St. Lambert’s Church tower. These cages displayed the executed Anabaptists’ bodies as a warning. In 1648, Münster hosted the Peace of Westphalia. This treaty concluded the Thirty Years’ War. It also granted state sovereignty to the Netherlands and Switzerland.
In 1773, a cornerstone for Germany’s prominent university cities was laid. The Regional University was established. Today, about 55000 students attend Münster’s eight universities.
Münster became the capital of the new province of Westphalia in the kingdom of Prussia in 1816. The provincial capital became the “desk of Westphalia”. It housed many authorities and institutions. After World War II, Westphalia and Rhineland became part of North Rhine-Westphalia. The Regional Association of Westphalia-Lippe remains responsible for cultural and social duties. Münster also serves as the seat of a regional district authority.
The Old Town suffered destruction during World War II. It underwent extensive historical reconstruction after 1945. New buildings enhanced it. These include the municipal theatre built in 1956 and the municipal library built in 1993. Münster evolved from an administrative city. It became the economic, scientific, and service industry hub for 1.5 million people.
Münster is known as the bicycle capital of Germany. Some say it has more bicycles than people. The city maintains an extensive network for bicycles. This includes the popular Promenade. It encircles Münster’s city center.
Münster is twinned with York in England since 1958. It is also twinned with Orlèans in France since 1960. Other twin towns include Kristiansand in Norway, Monastir in Tunisia, and Rishon LeZion in Israel.
Considered one of the oldest German cities, Münster has been a major city since approximately 1000 AD.