Münster 2018

October 2018: Münster

Münster is a city of around 315,000 people in Northern Germany, lying 60km north of Dortmund and 215km east and a little south of Amsterdam. Dating back to the end of the 8th century, the city's name comes from the same root as the English word 'monastery'. Münster was an important ecclesiastical centre for centuries. Even following the Reformation, despite being located in the heartland of Protestant Germany, the city retained its Catholic heritage. Only within the last five years has the proportion of the population identifying as Catholic dropped below 50%.

Nowadays, Münster is widely recognised as a centre of academic excellence. Indeed we commented several times during our visit that, among all the history, the city had a noticeably young vibe. Major sights include the baroque palace that was once the seat of the ruling prince-bishops, the adjacent botanic gardens, the medieval St Paul's Cathedral, the main market square, and the historic city hall where in 1648, the Peace of Westphalia treaty was signed. Among other things, this formally recognised Switzerland and the Netherlands as sovereign states.