Münster audiotours

Munster holds an unusual place in German history. In 1648, the Peace of Westphalia was signed in its Gothic city hall on the Prinzipalmarkt, ending thirty years of war that had devastated most of Europe. Today that same arcaded street is lined with cafes and boutiques, and the peace that was negotiated here feels embedded in the city's character, which is unhurried and quietly confident.

The bicycle is not merely popular in Munster, it is the dominant logic of the city.

Estimates regularly suggest the city has more registered bikes than residents, and the cycling infrastructure reflects this. Radschnellweg routes cut across the city, and the Promenade, a wide tree-lined ring around the old town, is the social artery of the city on two wheels. On a Sunday morning it operates as a kind of slow-moving parade of every demographic, from students to grandparents, all pedaling without particular urgency.