On the history of Münster

Münster is a beautiful small town in the west of Germany very close to Holland in the part of Germany called Nordrhein-Wesphalia whose capital is Düsseldorf. Münster is called the Bicycle Capital of Germany as bicycles here are the most common means of transportation.

The city has a rich history that started in 793 when the missionary Christian Priest Liudger founded a monastery and so the city was called Münster after this event. in 1200 the city was surrounded by a big wall and six churches where built at different points of this wall (Now the remains of this wall is a green open place for walking and bicycle riding and called Promenade)

In 1534, the Anabaptists originated in Münster, these are a group of Bishops who appeared during the Protestant reformation They believed that baptism of infants is not valid and has to be done again as babies cannot be responsible to remain faithful to a certain religion. They also promoted free thinking and where quite open minded so they gained power for a short period of time which ended in 1535 when the city was recaptured by the catholics and the Anabaptists were tortured to death, their corpses were exhibited in cages (the cages can still be seen hanging on the Tower of St. Lamberti's church downtown).

In the period from 1618 to 1648 the thirty years war started in Germany and was mainly a religious war between the Catholics and the Protestants. In 1648 Münster gained much popularity as it was the city that held the peace treaty which ended the thirty years war. Till now the hall where the peace treaty was signed is one of the sights that tourists are advised to visit (called Rathaus)

In 1780 the University of Münster was established, now a major European centre for excellence in education and research and one of the oldest universities in Europe (this is where I'm currently working) In 1802 Münster was conquered by Prussia (an old and very powerful kingdom that is now north and middle Germany and reaches up to Russia in the east). In 1806 the city fell under the Napoleonic rule and was taken again by Prussia and then in 1816 it became the capital of the prussian provence of Westphalia. Afterwards the city continued to grow with the establishment of buildings, water supplies, gas, electricity, railway and tramway.

During the second world war (1939-1945), Münster was a military headquarter, being on the holland-Belgium frontier. Although the Bishop of Münster was one of the strongest critics of the Nazi Government, the city remained to serve as a military center untill its complete destruction in the end of the war by the allied air forces. In 1950 the city was rebuilt with its pre-war architecture well preserved and designed and uptill now the buildings and the churches have this wonderful breath taking architecture. In 2004 Münster won the LivCom-Award as the most livable city in the world.

Münster is a city of clean air, simple life, beauty of nature and people and one of the most important cities of Germany.

All my Love from Münster