The Innenstadt (city centre) is the central district of the city of

Osnabrück Osnabrück (; wep, Ossenbrügge; archaic ''Osnaburg'') is a city in the German state of Lower Saxony. It is situated on the river Hase in a valley penned between the Wiehen Hills and the northern tip of the Teutoburg Forest. With a population ...

Lower Saxony Lower Saxony (german: Niedersachsen ; nds, Neddersassen; stq, Läichsaksen) is a German state (') in northwestern Germany. It is the second-largest state by land area, with , and fourth-largest in population (8 million in 2021) among the 16 ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

; its population is roughly 8,300. The Innenstadt comprises the medieval Altstadt (old town) and Neustadt (new town), which were united in 1306. The Altstadt developed around the town's three medieval churches, which initially constituted small parishes in the local area: the Lutheran Kirche St. Marien (Church of St. Mary), the Lutheran Kirche St. Katharinen (Church of St. Catherine) and the Dom St. Peter (St. Peter's Cathedral), which was the seat of the bishop. The Neustadt developed around the Kirche St. Johann (Church of St. John). Today the Gymnasialkirche and the Herz-Jesu-Kirche (Church of the Sacred Heart) are also part of the Innenstadt, as well as two mosques. The Schloss Osnabrück, formerly the residence of the local prince-bishop and today the head office of the

University of Osnabrück A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

, is also located here. This district is the economic heart of the city. The retail sector, with many outlets located along the extensive pedestrian precinct, is particularly prominent. Service industries are also present in the Innenstadt, including gastronomic outlets and hotels, public authorities and educational institutions. 94% of Osnabrück's Altstadt was destroyed during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. The Innenstadt is connected to the national and regional rail networks by the Osnabrück Hauptbahnhof (main station) and the Altstadt station (formerly Osnabrück-Hasetor). Another station used to operate at the Wittekindplatz: Osnabrück-West, also known as Osnabrück-Hannoverscher Bahnhof. The establishment of an Osnabrück-Johannistor train station to connect the Neustadt area has been a topic of discussion since the year 1895. The Innenstadt was also connected by three tram lines (first opened in 1906 and gradually expanded over time): tram line 1 from the Hauptbahnhof to the Heger Friedhof (Heger Cemetery) via Hauptpost and Nikolaiort, tram line 2 from Schölerberg to Haste via Johannistor (Rosenplatz), Neumarkt, Nikolaiort and Hasetor, and tram line 3 from Martiniplatz/Heinrich-Lübke-Platz to Schinkel via Neumarkt and Hauptpost. Present-day urban planning continues to consider the possibility of better connecting the Innenstadt area by means of an inner-city

tram A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport are ...

or light rail network.

Sources

* M+E (Eds.), ''Osnabrück'' (Osnabruck, 1976) *

Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung ''Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung'' (German: ''New Newspaper of Osnabrück''; also known as ''Neue OZ'') is a regional daily newspaper published in Osnabrück, Germany. History and profile ''Neue OZ'' was established in 1967 as a successor of '' Neue ...

, 2007–2010 * Spühr and Jeanmaire, ''Die Osnabrücker Straßenbahn'' (1980) {{DEFAULTSORT:Innenstadt (Osnabruck district) Geography of Osnabrück