Münster is one of the five ''
Regierungsbezirk
A ' (, 'governmental district') is a type of administrative division in Germany. Currently, four of sixteen ' (states of Germany) are split into '. Beneath these are rural and urban districts
' (plural, ) serve as regional mid-level local gov ...
e'' of
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia or North-Rhine/Westphalia, commonly shortened to NRW, is a States of Germany, state () in Old states of Germany, Western Germany. With more than 18 million inhabitants, it is the List of German states by population, most ...
,
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
, located in the north of the state, and named after the capital city of
Münster
Münster (; ) is an independent city#Germany, independent city (''Kreisfreie Stadt'') in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also a ...
. It includes the area which in medieval times was known as the
Dreingau Dreingau is the medieval name of one of five Saxon pagi (i.e., boroughs) in what today is the Münsterland in Westphalia. During the Middle Ages documents referred to it as ''Dreine'', ''Dreni'', ''Drieni'', ''Dragini'', ''Dragieni'', ''Drachina'' ...
.
Regierungsbezirk Münster mostly covers rural areas of Münsterland famous for their castles, e.g. Castle Nordkirchen and Castle Ahaus. The region offers more than a hundred castles, all linked up by the cycle path ''100 Schlösser Route''.
The three southern municipalities are part of the
Ruhrgebiet
The Ruhr ( ; , also ''Ruhrpott'' ), also referred to as the Ruhr Area, sometimes Ruhr District, Ruhr Region, or Ruhr Valley, is a wikt:polycentric, polycentric urban area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With a population density of 1,160/k ...
, a densely populated region with much industry. Besides this the area is mostly as green as the rest of Münsterland and historically a part of the landscape.
The history of the ''Regierungsbezirk'' dates back to 1815, when it was one of the original 25 ''Regierungsbezirke'' created as a subdivision of the provinces of
Prussia
Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...
. The last reorganization of the districts was made in 1975, when the number of districts was reduced from ten to five, and the number of district-free cities from six to three.
Climate
The climate is mainly
maritime, influenced by the recently deteriorating
Gulf Stream
The Gulf Stream is a warm and swift Atlantic ocean current that originates in the Gulf of Mexico and flows through the Straits of Florida and up the eastern coastline of the United States, then veers east near 36°N latitude (North Carolin ...
.
Temperatures above 30 °C during the summer were rare until the 1980s. Recently some summer months got more hot and dry or cool and wet with an increased abundance of
extreme weather
Extreme weather includes unexpected, unusual, severe weather, severe, or unseasonal weather; weather at the extremes of the historical distribution—the range that has been seen in the past. Extreme events are based on a location's recorded weat ...
.
In winter time temperatures deep frost below -10 °C occurs especially in times of
Berlin Phenomenon and is rare in years without. Long time average temperatures about 1 °C in January and February mean that frost is quite common.
Economy
The Gross domestic product (GDP) of the region was 88.1 billion € in 2018, accounting for 2.6% of German economic output. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 30,900 € or 102% of the EU27 average in the same year. The GDP per employee was 94% of the EU average.
Traffic
A common way to traverse the Münsterland is by bicycle. The mostly flat landscape invites cycling, both on-road riding (e.g. the
Münsterland Giro race) and relaxed tours on small rural roads and ''Pättkes'' (minor paths, some even unpaved). Embedded in a network of cycle paths are not only the most utilised themed routes, but also many small and large tours and round courses through the region. Some infrastructure for cyclists including bed & bike farms, navigation systems, and service-stations make Münsterland a popular cycling area.
The road system is well-maintained and several highways offer fast access to nearly all areas.
In those areas where railroads haven't been closed down by the 1980s, frequent and fast service is offered. One
streetcar system has survived in the city of Gelsenkirchen and many other towns and cities offer a bus network. Rural areas are connected by bus as well.
The Münsterland can be explored by boat on some canals, including the
Dortmund–Ems Canal and
Wesel–Datteln Canal. They connect the area to the harbours in
Duisburg
Duisburg (; , ) is a city in the Ruhr metropolitan area of the western States of Germany, German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Lying on the confluence of the Rhine (Lower Rhine) and the Ruhr (river), Ruhr rivers in the center of the Rhine-Ruh ...
and
Münster
Münster (; ) is an independent city#Germany, independent city (''Kreisfreie Stadt'') in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also a ...
, the German coast and the rest of the German waterway system.
Landmarks
*
Ahaus Castle
*
Gerleve Abbey
*
Herten Castle
*
Horst Castle
*
Hülshoff Castle - birthplace of
Annette von Droste-Hülshoff
*
Lembeck Castle
*
Münster Cathedral
Münster Cathedral or St.-Paulus-Dom is the cathedral church of the Catholic Diocese of Münster in Germany, and is dedicated to Saint Paul. It is counted among the most significant church buildings in Münster and, along with the Historical ...
*
Nordkirchen Castle
Schloss Nordkirchen is a palace situated in the town of Nordkirchen in the Coesfeld administrative district in the state of North Rhine Westphalia, Germany. The ''schloss'' was largely built between 1703 and 1734 and is known as the "Palace of ...
- the most important castle, also called "Westphalian Versailles
*
House of Rüschhaus
*
St. Lambertus Cathedral
*
Steinfurt Castle
*
Westerwinkel Castle
*
The Industrial Heritage Trail - big part of this collection of monuments originated by the
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution, sometimes divided into the First Industrial Revolution and Second Industrial Revolution, was a transitional period of the global economy toward more widespread, efficient and stable manufacturing processes, succee ...
is sited in the southern half of this area
References
External links
*
The Münsterland Tourism board
{{DEFAULTSORT:Munster (Region)
Government regions of Germany
Geography of North Rhine-Westphalia
NUTS 2 statistical regions of the European Union
Government regions of Prussia