Unna: Old Town, Light Art and Bornekamptal Valley
Accommodation in Unna
Unna combines medieval urban history with a special focus on light art and landscape. In the old town, the street plan and preserved sections of the town wall tell the story of the city’s development; in Bornekamptal Valley, woods, meadows and riverside areas shape the landscape. During your stay, you can choose between cultural discoveries and experiences in nature.
Der beleuchtete Kamin der ehemaligen Lindenbrauerei ist ein Wahrzeichen des Zentrums für Internationale Lichtkunst.
Photo: smial via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 de
Urban History in the Old Town and Museum
The old town is a historic urban monument with a medieval character. Its street plan, the layout of its public spaces and its buildings preserve historical information about the city’s development from the High Middle Ages through to the 20th century. Partly preserved towers and remains of the town wall still convey an impression of the medieval city limits and its history of fortifications.
The Hellweg Museum Unna is dedicated to the history of the city and the region. It is housed in a listed castle on the town wall and is run by the City of Unna. Among its notable exhibits is the gold hoard discovered in the old town in 1952: it comprises at least 255 gold coins, 230 of which are on display. This also makes a visit engaging for young explorers, as behind the number lies a find from Unna’s own history.
The museum also offers an introduction to Jewish cultural history through its exhibits. A subsequent city walk takes visitors to places in the town centre associated with Jewish life in Unna. More than 300 Stolpersteine (stumbling stones) in Unna commemorate the victims of National Socialism. Anyone interested in the history of salt mining will find another testament to the area’s former salt production in the historic wind pump at Friedrichsborn in the district of Königsborn.
The present-day Protestant town church is also one of the city’s significant buildings. It is the successor to the original parish church dating from 1322 and the subsequent building phases. The church is considered Unna’s most artistically significant building and one of the finest-quality medieval ecclesiastical buildings in the Hellweg region.
Light Art at the Former Linden Brewery
The Centre for International Light Art is located in the former Linden Brewery. Since 2001, it has presented light art underground across a total area of 2,600 square metres. It is the world’s first and only museum of its kind dedicated to the presentation of light art. Visits take place as part of guided tours. Workshops, symposia and exhibition-related programmes complement its offerings on the subject of light art. This gives Unna a distinctive cultural attraction alongside its historic old town.
Green Spaces and Trails in Bornekamptal Valley
Bornekamptal Valley stretches for about four kilometres from the southern edge of Unna to the open fields east of the district of Unna-Billmerich. The Kortelbach stream runs through the valley; its landscape includes woods, hedgerows, meadows, field margins, avenues and riverside areas. Almost all of these areas are designated as protected landscape features in the Unna landscape plan. The valley is also an important local recreation area for the people of Unna and beyond, serving as both a fresh-air corridor and a quiet zone.
Old stands of red beech, with their sometimes high proportion of deadwood, provide important feeding and breeding habitats for woodpeckers, bats and wood-decaying insects. When visiting Bornekamptal Valley, stay on the paved or signposted paths; this rule also applies to cyclists and horse riders. This lets you experience the character of the landscape without leaving the paths.
The Südfriedhof (South Cemetery) is another green highlight. Covering more than 20 hectares, it has developed into a local recreation area with mature trees. In the older section, mature beeches, lime trees and maples line the paths.
More Insights and Destinations
The Hellweg Museum offers a wide range of activities and workshops for school classes and individuals. For a deeper look at the history of the city and region, the Unna City Archive answers enquiries and supports anyone interested in research. Archive tours can be arranged through the VHS programme or directly with the archive for groups.
You can also discover these places: Werne, Lünen, Selm, Kamen, Schwerte, Bönen, Holzwickede, Fröndenberg/Ruhr.
For the main travel overview: Unna.
