Discover Harsewinkel
Accommodation in Harsewinkel
Harsewinkel offers a wide range of starting points for a trip: the Neo-Gothic St. Lucia Church with its distinctive tower, the monastic history of Marienfeld, and natural landscapes with a long history. Hiking trails and historic motorcycles are also specific topics you can take into account when choosing your excursions.
Church and monastic history
Harsewinkel’s St. Lucia Church is a Neo-Gothic building dating from the mid-19th century. Its tower was built in 1904 and is now a landmark of the town. The construction period and the tower’s history provide two distinct points of reference: the church dates from the mid-19th century, while the tower was added later.
Another important stop for culture enthusiasts is Marienfeld. The Cistercian monastery there was founded in 1185 and, until its dissolution in 1803, was one of the most significant monasteries in Westphalia. The late Romanesque abbey church is considered an outstanding example of Cistercian architecture. Its architecture had a lasting influence on other important church buildings in Westphalia and the Baltic Sea region. Those interested in monastic history will therefore find in Marienfeld not only the story of a single monastery, but also a building with a far-reaching architectural influence.
Hiking trails with different focuses
The Prälatenweg is a circular hiking trail that connects the former monasteries in Herzebrock, Clarholz, and Marienfeld. It combines hiking with the opportunity to visit the monasteries and gardens in these three towns. For trip planning, its thematic focus is particularly interesting: the trail connects several former monastery sites rather than focusing on a single complex.
In Marienfeld, the 1,200-metre-long Cistercian Trail forms a historic circular route around the monastery grounds. The two routes therefore differ in their described paths: the Prälatenweg connects three former monasteries, while the Cistercian Trail loops around the Marienfeld monastery grounds. Harsewinkel also has a well-signposted network of cycling and hiking trails. If you enjoy exploring on foot or by bike, this offers another way to shape your trip in addition to the trails mentioned above.
The regional Hühnermoor hiking trail also passes through Marienfeld. It is 7.15 kilometres long. The specific distance can be a useful point of reference for planning your day; it does not, by itself, determine how long the walk will take.
Natural landscapes with a long history
The Boomberge nature reserve consists of former Ems sand dunes that formed at the end of the last ice age. The tree-covered area is criss-crossed by paths, the oldest of which are at least 150 years old. Two different traces of time meet here: the formation of the dunes at the end of the last ice age and the great age of some of the paths.
Hühnermoor is Harsewinkel’s oldest nature reserve and a relic of a 4,000-year-old raised bog landscape. A visit is especially rewarding in June, when the cotton grass is in bloom. If your travel dates are flexible and you are interested in bog landscapes, you can factor in this seasonal highlight. Boomberge and Hühnermoor each offer their own perspective on the natural history of the surrounding area.
Motorcycles in Greffen
Historic motorcycles also give Harsewinkel a distinctive cultural connection. The private Beckmann Motorcycle Museum in Harsewinkel’s Greffen district has 200 motorcycles from the first half of the 20th century. The Greffen Motorcycle Museum holds the International Spökenkieker Ride every year on the weekend before Pentecost. Only motorcycles built before 1914 are eligible. The date and year-of-manufacture limit make the ride a clearly defined event for anyone interested in early motorcycle history.
More places to discover
More destinations: Borgholzhausen, Steinhagen, Rietberg, Gütersloh, Langenberg, Verl, Herzebrock-Clarholz and Versmold.
Back to the main travel overview: Gütersloh.
