Münster
Münster, the city where the Peace of Westphalia was signed, can look back upon 1,200 years of history. A centuries-old symbiosis between the Church and the business community has left its mark on the city. Today Münster is a modern city, and its large student population gives it a youthful air. Since its population is somewhere in the region of 280,000, everything remains within reasonable limits. The first thing that strikes visitors is that there are scores of bicycles everywhere. Münster has often been singled out as an ideal place for cyclists. Owing to Prinzipalmarkt's medieval atmosphere, the numerous green spaces, the wide range of cultural activities, and the great variety of pubs, people soon feel at home here.
What was once a Prussian provincial capital is now the administrative and educational centre of the Münsterland, and some one and a half million people live in its catchment area. Together with the cities of Enschede/Hengelo (Netherlands) in the west and Osnabrück in the north, it forms a politico-economic triangle. The three cities co-operate in order to take full advantage of the opportunities afforded by the European single market.
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Photos by Presse- und Informationsamt der Stadt Münster.