Horstmar
Accommodation in Horstmar
Horstmar’s history is reflected in its clearly laid-out medieval street plan: the church and town hall stand in the center of the historic old town, while former fortified manor houses shape the appearance of the outer sides of the square layout. The town’s history thus leads from the form of its center to buildings that reveal different periods and functions.
File:Horstmar, St.-Gertrud-Kirche -- 2014 -- 2511.jpg
Photo: Dietmar Rabich via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
The history of urban architecture in its buildings
The Schlosstor, also called the Burgtor, is the last surviving of Horstmar’s four town gates and is considered unique in Westphalia. Comparing the four former gates with the surviving structure makes the transformation of the town’s fortifications clear through a concrete example. The Merveldter Hof offers a different architectural accent: it was built in 1561 as a magnificent three-wing complex in the Dutch Renaissance style and features the distinctive “Specklagentechnik” (layered sandstone technique). “Three-wing complex” describes its form, Renaissance its style, and Specklagentechnik a distinctive construction method.
St. Gertrudis Church is a Gothic hall church dating from the second half of the 14th century. Its tower is over 66 meters high; arrow slits that are still visible point to its character as a fortified tower. The building therefore offers a chance to observe both Gothic architecture and the tower’s defensive character. For families, these features can prompt a conversation about the different purposes of a church, a town gate and a fortified tower.
The Borchorster Hof was first mentioned in a document in 1277. At the site of the former Horstmar Castle, the archaeological traces take center stage: it is a protected archaeological site, and sandstone blocks mark the former course of the wall. These two clues illustrate different ways of establishing historical context—a very early written mention and markers showing the former line of the wall.
In the district of Leer is the Church of Ss. Cosmas and Damian, with a rare medieval vault painting dating from around 1400. The approximate date provides a point of reference for the artwork. The painting offers a different focus from the striking tower of St. Gertrudis: here, the emphasis is on a painting in the vault, while there it is on the fortified tower.
Cycling and the regional perspective
There is also a specific starting point for a cycling holiday: Horstmar is directly connected to the 39.4-kilometer RadBahn Münsterland. This railway-line cycle path follows the former railway line from Rheine to Coesfeld. This gives you two different options for planning your trip: exploring the historic townscape or riding the RadBahn. As route infrastructure can change, check the current route before setting off.
The wider destination of Steinfurt, meaning the district of Steinfurt, offers another perspective on its natural and cultural landscape. It has 116 nature reserves covering a total of around 13,231 hectares, as well as 78 landscape conservation areas covering around 27,774 hectares; these area figures may change as new areas are designated. The parkland is characterized by numerous manor houses, moated castles, monasteries and palaces. The 100 Castles Route connects notable architectural monuments in the district. These regional attractions offer an additional context for planning a trip, alongside Horstmar’s own history.
Discover more destinations: Neuenkirchen, Ochtrup, Steinfurt, Lotte, Westerkappeln, Greven, Recke.
Back to the main travel overview: Steinfurt.
