Münster
This sometimes engaging chronicle of 1200 years of Münster milestones includes a room on the Anabaptist rebellion where you can see the once-red-hot tongs…
Must-see attractions in Cologne & Northern Rhineland
Ostwestfalen
One of the finest baroque buildings in Paderborn, the Marktkirche was founded by Jesuits and consecrated in 1692. Inside this galleried basilica, your…
Düsseldorf
For a literary kick, swing by the Heinrich Heine Institut, where the 'Romanticism & Revolution' exhibit uses letters, portraits, first editions and…
Cologne
The Kölnisches Stadtmuseum, in the former medieval armoury, explores all facets of Cologne's history. Although the permanent exhibit remains closed while…
Mahn-und Gedenkstätte Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Just west of the central Marktplatz, this memorial trains the spotlight on local persecution and resistance during the Third Reich. It reopened in 2015…
Ostwestfalen
The Abdinghofkirche is easily recognised by its twin towers. The foundation stone was laid in the 11th century as part of a Benedictine monastery in…
Cologne
Winning top honours for Cologne's most handsome church exterior is Gross St Martin, with an ensemble of four slender turrets grouped around a central…
Cologne & Northern Rhineland
It took two centuries to complete this beautiful Gothic hall church whose four gables overlook the market square. Rebuilt after burning down during WWII,…
Mahn- und Gedenkstätte Steinwache
Dortmund
This municipal memorial uses the original rooms and cells of a Nazi prison as a backdrop for a grim exhibit about Dortmund during the Third Reich. Over 66…
Ostwestfalen
Rathausplatz blends into Marienplatz with its delicate Mariensäule (St Mary’s Column) and Heising’sche Haus, an elaborate 17th-century patrician mansion…
Münster
The Überwasserkirche (officially known as Liebfrauenkirche) is a 14th-century Gothic hall church with handsome stained-glass windows in the apse. The…
Münster
The 1773 Schloss is the former residence of prince-bishops and now the main university building. It was blueprinted by baroque architect Johann Conrad…
Cologne & Northern Rhineland
Laurentiuskirche goes back to the 13th century, making it one of the oldest hall churches in the Rhineland. It's beautifully decorated with floral…
Münster
The 1753 St Clemens Church is a baroque beauty blueprinted by local starchitect of the day, Johann Conrad Schlaun. The interior is not accessible but you…
Bonn
The palatial 1705 Kurfürstliche Residenz was once the immodest home of the prince-electors of Cologne and has been part of Bonn’s university since 1818…
Domschatzkammer & Diözesanmuseum
Cologne & Northern Rhineland
For a century (as of 2018), the cathedral treasury has showcased paintings, sculptures, reliquaries and textiles dating from the 11th to the 18th…
Schlossturm & SchifffahrtMuseum
Düsseldorf
Looking a bit forlorn by the river, the Schlossturm is all that’s left of the electors’ palace, which burned down in 1872. Recently restored, it houses a…
Cologne & Northern Rhineland
Halfway up the hill looms Siegen’s signature landmark, the late Romanesque Nikolaikirche. It’s easily recognised by the golden crown atop the steeple,…
Düsseldorf
The historical Marktplatz is framed by the Renaissance Rathaus (1573) and accented by a bronze equestrian statue of Jan Wellem. The art-loving 17th…
Münster
On the top floor of Speicher II, an old warehouse in the rebooted harbour, this gallery presents cutting-edge art by international artists. Admission is…
Bonn
Overlooking the triangular Markt square, the rococo Altes Rathaus absolutely glistens with silver and gold trim. Politicians from Charles de Gaulle to…
Düsseldorf
This small musuem trains the spotlight on the technology, history and mystery of movie-making. Its Black Box art-house cinema presents retrospectives,…
Düsseldorf
The twisted tower of the 14th-century St Lambertuskirche shadows treasures that span several centuries. Look for the Gothic tabernacle, the Renaissance…
Ostwestfalen
The church of St Maria zur Wiese's restoration workshop operates this museum, where you can learn about the origin of Soest’s ethereal green stone.
Bonn
This rococo gem is lavishly decorated with gilded faux marble, frescoes and a Balthasar Neumann–designed version of the Holy Steps.
Bonn
A buttercup-yellow baroque Palais (palace; now the post office) forms a photogenic backdrop for the Beethoven Monument, unveiled in 1845, 75 years after…
Cologne
This arch outside the Dom is a rare vestige of Cologne's ancient Roman city wall and once formed the northern gateway into the colony.
Düsseldorf
A Brutalist '60s cube built from prefabricated blocks of concrete houses the Kunsthalle, which hosts bleeding-edge contemporary art shows. The…
Ostwestfalen
Remnants of the foundation of Charlemagne's palace, built in the late 8th century, have been unearthed north of the Dom.
Cologne
This jaunty tower marks the northwest corner of the ancient Roman town fortifications, which stretched for 4km and had at least nine gates and 19 round…
Ostwestfalen
Paderborn’s proud Rathaus (1616) with ornate gables, oriels and other decorative touches, is typical of the Weser Renaissance architectural style.
Aachen
The Dom's visitor centre is your go-to stop for tour tickets, information and to peruse the displays and a short introduction to the cathedral.
Münster
Dinosaurs and the universe are the stars at this large state-run nature museum, which also has a popular planetarium (programs in German only).
Münster
A fun open-air museum where you can stroll among historical Westphalian buildings, including a mill and bakery.
Aachen
This small applied arts museum recreates the living spaces and lives of 17th- and 18th-century patricians.
Aachen
A modern fountain that's a crowd-pleasing work of mechanical art; look for the cock on top (a symbol of Napoleon's love for Aachen). Other details (all…
Münster
This beautifully porticoed Renaissance building was built to the left of the Rathaus in 1615 and originally used as a storage area for wine. Today it…
