Welcome to Osnabrück City of Peace Welcome
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DIE | FRIEDENSSTADT Welcome to Osnabrück City of Peace Welcome The market place with its historic buildings Osnabrück – peaceful and cosmopolitan Osnabrück’s political and meet in the olden days: n cultural life is an embodi‐ The “Markt” (market place) has ment of the maxim: “The task remained the heart of the city of peace – committed to hosting weddings, festivals, peace”. After 5 years of nego ‐ wine events and the traditional tiations the “Peace of West‐ annual Christmas Market. phalia” that ended the Thirty Its flair is enhanced by the Years’ War was proclaimed on surrounding picturesque and the steps of its Town Hall in historic buildings, such as the 1648. For more than 65 years Town Hall, the “Stadtwaage” local primary school children (city scales), St. Mary's Church have been commemorating this on one side, the colorful event every year with a hobby bougeois houeses with their horse parade. stepped gables on the other Today, people still come togeth‐ side. Just a few steps outside er where merchants used to the market place Osnabrück’s late Romanesque cathedral (St Peter’s Cathedral) overlooks the city’s old town. The European Heritage Label A wonderful mix honors places which played a of historical and central role in the history of Europe modern times such as the Town Hall of the Peace From 1412 to 1669 Osnabrück of Westphalia. was a member of the “Hanse” FOTO: MATTHIAS RETHMANN MATTHIAS FOTO: 2 (Hanseatic League), the most important trading alliance of its time that brought great status and wealth to its member cities. These days, the old trade FINKE-ENNEN C. S. FOTO: routes have turned into pleas‐ ant streets with attractive shops. The mixture of historic quarters and modern architec‐ You can find many green areas in Osnabrück ture is the hallmark of Osna ‐ and the region. brück whose status as a Uni versity city (almost 27,000 is wide open for cycling and students) completes its long hiking tours as well as for history of Episcopal power. improving your handicap on Osnabrück’s compactness is key one of the many golf courses to its popularity. Whether for scattered in the countryside sightseeing, shopping, strolling surrounding the city. Embedded or studying – a good layout and between the Teutoburg Forest short distances are a plus for all and the “Wiehengebirge”, guests. the green traces of this nature reserve stretch right into A city surrounded Osnabrück’s inner city. by nature Moreover, Osnabrück (165,000 Osnabrück is a member of inhabitants) is very fortunate to the network Historic be located in the middle of a Highlights of Germany nature reserve. With 1,220 (www.historicgermany.com) square kilometres the UNESCO and spans the gap between past and present. Global Geopark TERRA.vita 3 History Door handle of the Town Hall of the Peace of Westphalia 1,200 years of eventful history Around the year 780, into a thriving centre for n Charlemagne, king of the commerce in the Middle Ages. Franks, erected a stone church In 1157, Emperor Frederick on the banks of the Hase River Barbarossa granted the city its the nucleus of today’s Osna ‐ fortification privileges. Most of brück. The city’s name presum‐ the towers that were part of ably a combination of the Low the medieval fortification can German words Ossen (ox) and still be seen in the city. Brügge (bridge). Being the hub of old trading routes and a bish‐ Osnabrück and the op’s seat, Osnabrück developed Peace of Westphalia From 1412 to 1669, Osnabrück was both a member of the Hanse (Hanseatic League) and FOTO: D. HEESE D. FOTO: of the Westphalian Federation of Cities. Magnificent town houses and other prestigious buildings bear witness to the power and wealth of the medieval merchants. Osna ‐ brück became important during the negotiations for the Peace of Westphalia that took place here and in nearby Münster between 1643‐1648. The Peace of Westphalia, proclaimed in One of the fortified towers October 1648, finally ended the Thirty Years’ War and changed (Bucksturm) FINKE-ENNEN C. S. FOTO: 4 The Felix‐Nussbaum‐House with its special architecture the face of Europe. While the Catholics used Münster as a venue, the Protestants resided in Osnabrück. Following this time Osnabrück was alternately ruled by Catholic and Protes‐ tant bishops until 1803. Famous natives of Osnabrück Osnabrück became widely Felix Nussbaum “self‐portrait with easel” known amongst literature lovers through the works of one of its own sons, Erich Maria Remarque (1898‐1970). The Erich Maria Remarque Peace Centre dedicates an exhibition to his life and literary work. Another of the city’s natives is Felix Nussbaum. The artist was born in Osna ‐ FOTO: ERICH MARIA REMARQUE-FRIEDENSZENTRUM MARIA ERICH FOTO: brück in 1904 and died in 1944 Erich Maria Remarque Peace Center in Auschwitz. The renowned architect Daniel Libeskind designed the Felix‐Nussbaum‐ CITY Museum as a special place for TIP Nussbaum’s artistic work. The architecture of the building is There is a guided city tour in English every Monday intended as “rooms against at 7 p.m. which starts in the town Oblivion” and captivates visitors hall. Registration is not required. by its unusual interior design. FOTO: UWE LEWANDOWSKI UWE FOTO: 5 Culture Town Hall of the Peace of Westphalia Old Town Sightseeing Tour Town Hall of the Peace of architect Daniel Libeskind, Westfalia Built in late Gothic houses the largest collection style, with the historic “Cham‐ of works by the Jewish painter ber of Peace”. The Municipal Felix Nussbaum, who was born Treasury with the imperial in Osnabrück and murdered in goblet and historic town replica Auschwitz in 1944. are well worth seeing. Bucksturm The Bucksturm is Heger Tor The Heger Tor was the oldest tower of the former built in 1817 as a memorial to town wall and was a prison and the soldiers from Osnabrück torture chamber during certain who fought at Waterloo. periods. Felix‐Nussbaum‐Haus / Kunsthalle Osnabrück Museum of Cultural History This Gothic hall church (13th The museum building, which century) was a monastery was opened in 1998 and church until 1803, then a designed by the American barracks and since 1971 it has been the town art gallery. It is one of the most beautiful CITY exhibition rooms in Lower TIP Saxony. Herrenteichswall The CityCard is a ticket The Herrenteichswall was an for all buses within the element of the fortification and city, including free ad- protected against attacks. In mission to six museums in Osna- May 1909 the newly arranged brück plus a voucher booklet for entrance to the Herrenteich‐ other interesting cultural activities. swall with the Haarmanns ‐ www.osnabrueck.de/english brunnen was inaugurated. FOTO: S. C. FINKE-ENNEN C. S. FOTO: 6 4g Old Town Station ᕥ ᕡ ᕩ ᕡ ᕦ ᕤ ᕢ ᕨ ᕧ µ ᕢ ᕣ ᕣ 4g Theodor- ᕤ Heuss- Hbf/Main Station Pl. ᕡ Steigenberger Hotel Remarque ᕢ Romantikhotel Walhalla ᕣ arcona living Osnabrück old town sightseeing tour ᕤ advena hotel hohenzollern pedestrian area Tourist Information free WiFi (Telekom) Cathedral Treasury and St. Marien Gothic Hall Diocesan Museum Sculptures, church (14th century) with paintings and textiles pertain‐ important art objects including ing to the history of the diocese the intricately carved main of Osnabrück from the 11th to altar (16th century). Visitors can the 18th centuries are on climb to the top of the church display in the Cathedral Vault tower. and Museum of the Diocese Bürgerbrunnen Hans‐Gerd in the Romanesque cloister of Ruwe created the well, which St. Peter’s Cathedral. was inaugurated in 1985. Marktplatz The Town Hall, Referring to the 1200th an‐ Stadtwaage and the St. Mary’s niversary of the city in 1980, Church on the one, the colour‐ the well consists of 1200 parts ful bourgeois houses with their and tells the history of stepped gables on the other Osnabrück. side, border the historic market place. 7 Lifestyle There are some nice cafes in the marketplace in the old town Culinary highlights Osnabrück is a haven for the city is the restaurant “Wein‐ n all gourmets. This is not wirtschaft” at “Steigenberger only because Thomas Bühner, Hotel Remarque”. It offers a star chef of restaurant “la vie” range of local and seasonal (three Michelin stars) ranks dishes and always delicious among the top 10 in Germany. wine types. In contrast, those Another foodie destination in who like a more rustic setting will enjoy the brewery “Ramp‐ endahl” in the old town. The confectioner “Leysieffer” has been the first address for sweet treats for more than 100 years. CHAEL HOLZ STUDIO HOLZ CHAEL Speaking of tradition: The restaurant Walhalla is Osna ‐ brück’s oldest inn. Fresh local FOTO: © 2015 MI ingredients are a feature of a typical Osnabrück meal. In spring there is asparagus, in winter there is kale, served with smoked pork chop or white pudding. There is culinary delight of every kind and for every taste in Osna brück. Even more quality of a buzz and vitality is brought into the Old Town by the lively coffee bars and with own roasting houses. Thomas Bühner (r) and its team CHOICE NEXT FOTO: 8 Shopping in the Heger‐Tor‐Quarter Shopping Quarters n Heger-Tor-Quarter: Enjoy the Old Town with exquisite boutiques, small art shops and typical pubs. LANGE JANA FOTO: n Redlinger Straße: The Redlinger Straße is an in‐ dividual, young‐scene district and is particularly known for Shopping in the city of Osnabrück its number of alternative stores, bars, restaurants and n Herrenteichsstraße: Starting cafés. from the Nikolaiort, this small n Große Straße: The popular street houses modern design, main shopping street down‐ individual stores and good town is the Große Straße catering.