Prinzipalmarkt
Outdoors
Münster's "front room": gabled houses with arcades you can stroll under even in the rain, and the Lamberti church at the north end. The Historic City Hall is here, and the Lichtermarkt in Advent.
The classics in Münster
8 places that make the city
The places that make Münster: Prinzipalmarkt, St. Lamberti and the Anabaptist cages, Münster Palace and more, with what is on there next.
St. Lamberti and the Anabaptist cages
Outdoors
The late Gothic market church, built from 1375 to 1525. Three iron cages hang on its tower: in 1536 the bodies of the leaders of the Anabaptist kingdom were put on show in them. From 9 pm the tower keeper blows a horn every half hour, except on Tuesdays.
Münster Palace
Outdoors
The baroque residence of the prince-bishops, built from 1767 to 1787 to Johann Conrad Schlaun's design in red brick and pale sandstone. The university has been here since 1954, and the square in front hosts the Send fair three times a year.
Giant Pool Balls at the Aasee
Outdoors
Three concrete balls, each 3.5 metres across, on the north bank of the Aasee: Claes Oldenburg turned the city into a pool table for the first Skulptur Projekte in 1977. Today a favourite meeting point for a walk round the lake.
St. Paulus Cathedral
Indoors
The cathedral on the Domplatz, with its 16th-century astronomical clock. Its chimes play Monday to Saturday at noon and on Sundays and holidays at 12:30, when the Three Kings parade past.
Historic City Hall and Hall of Peace
IndoorsOfficial site ↗
In the Hall of Peace of the city hall on the Prinzipalmarkt, Spain and the Netherlands made peace on 15 May 1648, part of the Peace of Westphalia. The panelled hall is open to visitors when the city is not using it for receptions.
Pablo Picasso Art Museum
IndoorsOfficial site ↗
Germany's first Picasso museum, in the old town since 2000: more than 800 of Picasso's lithographs and linocuts, plus changing exhibitions. Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 6 pm.
Allwetterzoo
OutdoorsOfficial site ↗
The zoo by the Aasee, with some 300 species. About a kilometre of its paths is covered, hence the name ("all-weather zoo"): you can come in any weather.
When it rains
When it rains
- St. Paulus Cathedral
- Historic City Hall and Hall of Peace
- Pablo Picasso Art Museum