2023

We stopped again in Paderborn, just on the way, and walked around the centre for a few hours. I noticed that the centre had somehow changed, but I couldn't figure out what was changed. Already at home, I looked at satellite images and indeed, most of the trees have disappeared in the last year. I have made this gif, click and see the difference.


At first I thought it was a reconstruction, but this is Germany and it is not easy to cut down trees here, especially in the city centre. It turned out that in May 2022 a powerful tornado passed through the centre (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkQrZ15L_GE).

The parks downtown look like this now. I can't say they look worse, I'd say quite the opposite.














More photos of the centre.






















2013

Paderborn appeared in 777, when the Frankish king Charlemagne founded the residence here. The place was not chosen by chance, there are more then 200 water sources in this area. In the heart of the city, the water comes to the surface and flows into the Pader river read more...

One of the earliest baroque castles in Westphalia, built in the 17th century. Was not rebuilt, so now you can see the original, 350-year-old castle read more...

Beautiful water castle near Münster. From 1417 belonged to the noble family of von Hulshoff, the castle hosts their museum read more...

A large park on the site of the former mine. Such parks are now very popular in the Ruhr region, which already been transformed from an industrial region into a cultural one. Construction began in 2009, when the mine was dismantled. The main part of the park was completed in 2014 read more...

Herford is one of the most important and most fortified trading towns in Westphalia, was a member of the Hanseatic League from 1342 and is one of the founding members of the Westphalian Hanseatic cities. It was a free imperial city until its annexation by Prussia in 1652 read more...

Popular place in the region around Münster (Münsterland). The main attraction is an unusual rock in the form of... somebody read more...

Garzweiler is one of Germany's largest lignite coal pits. Like many other quarries it will become a huge lake in the future, the project starts in 2045 and will last for decades read more...

The castle was built between 1657 and 1683 and has not been rebuilt since. The castle building itself is not particularly interesting, but in combination with the other buildings of the estate and especially the castle park, it leaves a pleasant impression. Entrance is free, so if you're in the neighborhood, be sure to take a walk in the park read more...

The huge monument is clearly visible from the A1 motorway, that is how we spotted it. There is a similar monument nearby, in Porta Westfalica, there has recently undergone a big reconstruction read more...

The Atta Cave is located in Attendorn. This is one of the most visited caves in Germany and the main source ... read more...

In the process of reclamation of slag heaps of the Ruhr region, the largest of them was turned into a thematic, astronomical park. The central object of the park is the Horizon Observatory (Horizontobservatorium). The construction was built in 2008 at an altitude of 152 meters read more...

The construction of the castle began in 1190, when Count of Lembek built the first defensive tower. Its remains can be found in the north wing. The castle itself was built around the tower during the next 450 years. It stands on two islands, in the middle of the lake. This is a typical structure for the castles of North Rhine-Westphalia read more...

Slag Heap Haniel is the highest elevation in the Ruhr region. It consists of two parts: the southern part has been turned into a landscape park, while the northern one continues to be used by Prosper Haniel Coal Mine. From the top there is a view of the entire Ruhr region. On a warm summer evening this is an excellent place to meet the sunset read more...

Oberverris Water Castle consists of several buildings. The central palace was built at the end of the 17th century. The territory is small, though there is a baroque garden. It is mainly used for conferences and receptions read more...

Minden is famous for its water bridge, one of the most unusual structures in Germany. Being 370 meters long, it's the ... read more...

The sandstone castle in the Weser Renaissance style was built on the site of a former farm between 1568 and 1570. In 1902 - 1912 the complex was extended and, in particular, the garden area was modified. A date of 1299 hangs above the entrance to the castle, but it is erroneous read more...

Rasfeld Castle is another typical representative of the water castles in North Rhine-Westphalia. It was built in the Renaissance style in 1643-1658 years. The 52-meter main tower is the tallest among the castles of the region read more...