Discover Coesfeld
Accommodation in Coesfeld
Cycling routes, castles and local history in the Coesfeld district
The Coesfeld district is characterised by an exceptionally high concentration of palaces, castles and historic manor houses. It also has an extensive cycling network with several hundred kilometres of well-maintained paths. The network connects towns, municipalities and districts, and runs through the parkland of the Münsterland region. You can shape your stay around cycling tours, historic buildings and things to do in town. When choosing a holiday apartment in Coesfeld, a practical question is which of these interests you want to focus on during your holiday.
Getting around by bike or on foot
The Münsterland junction network makes route planning flexible: numbered junctions can be linked into sequences of your choice. If you like putting routes together yourself, it gives you a practical way to plan cycling tours through the district. Coesfeld is also one of the recommended starting points for the main route of the Hohe Mark Cycle Route. The Coesfeld star tour uses the town as its starting point for four cycling routes.
There are also walking routes of varying lengths. The Baumberger Ludgerusweg runs for 30 kilometres between Stift Tilbeck and Coesfeld. In Coesfeld and Lette, you’ll find local circular walking routes ranging from 4 to 20 kilometres. If you’re travelling with your family, you can factor your preferred route length into your daily plans, without making every walking day the same. Hiking and cycling maps are available from the Coesfeld Tourist Information Office at the town hall’s citizens’ service centre.
Coesfeld’s history and culture
The Walkenbrückentor is a remnant of Coesfeld’s 14th-century town fortifications. The gate houses the town museum “DAS TOR”, which tells the story of Coesfeld’s past. It is open on Wednesdays from 4:00 to 7:00 pm and on Saturdays and Sundays from 2:00 to 5:00 pm. This makes it easy to plan a museum visit as part of your time in town. The Münsterland Art Association is based in the town centre and offers visitors more than 230 square metres of exhibition space.
Another historic landmark is the former synagogue, preserved as one of the few surviving buildings of its kind in Westphalia. It is open on Saturdays from 2:00 to 5:00 pm. St James’ Church lies on the historic Way of St James pilgrimage route from Bielefeld via Coesfeld to Wesel. Behind its high altar is the Coesfeld Cross: a forked cross from the 14th century that contains a relic of the Holy Cross. It is venerated especially during the cross processions at Pentecost and on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in September.
Parks and castles in the district
Coesfeld Palace Park, also known as Liebfrauenpark, was opened to the public in 1980. The Berkel flows through the park and was made accessible to visitors again through a redesign. If you want your stay to include a park visit as well as excursions, this spot offers a change of pace from the cycling and walking routes. Coesfeld is also part of the Hohe Mark Nature Park.
Historic buildings also shape the cultural offerings in other parts of the district. Since 1976, Kolvenburg Castle in Billerbeck has been used as the Coesfeld district’s cultural centre. Since 1972, Vischering Castle in Lüdinghausen has served as a museum and as a venue for exhibitions and events run by the district. It stands on two islands in the Stever’s millponds on the north-western edge of Lüdinghausen. Some of the district’s palace and castle complexes are open to visitors or serve as venues, museums or excursion destinations. The house on Letter Straße now contains a small museum dedicated to local poet Natz Thier.
You can also discover other local destinations on the pages for Lüdinghausen, Nordkirchen, Olfen, Nottuln, Havixbeck, Coesfeld, Senden, Ascheberg, Rosendahl, Dülmen and Billerbeck.
For the broader travel overview: North Rhine-Westphalia.
