Münster: The ultimate college town

It is quite ironic. Münster is one of Germany's most historic and storied cities, and yet today it is also one of its youngest, largely because it is the ultimate college town. So it is really no surprise that the university’s main building is even located in a former palace. One in five of Münster's 280,000 inhabitants is a student, naturally making the university one of the major employers in the city. Outside the university sphere, Münster's biggest industries center around commerce, public administration, as well as banking and insurance.

Münster introduced

Fahrr _der Münster’s history spanning more than 1200 years is reflected by the medieval ground plan of the Altstadt (old part of the city) and numerous historical buildings. The Prinzipalmarkt with the Lambertikirche (church) and the Cityhall of the Westphalian Peace as well as the cathedral and the cathedral square represent just a few of the internationally significant constructions of the Altstadt spanning a period of eight centuries. In addition, the outstanding qualities of Münster include the fact that the city is very green with the Promenade, a green ring around the Altstadt, and the fact it is embedded within the charming park landscape of Münsterland.
Now the Westphalian metropolis presents itself as the city of the universities with outstanding international reputations, which accommodates approx. 50,000 students, and as the headquarters of innovative centres in the field of research and technology transfer. This academic potential forms an important basis for the future-oriented development of the economy. A lot of young people, numerous institutions that belong to the university, a varied and exciting cultural life as well as the bicycle as the omnipresent form of transport characterise the city’s unmistakable atmosphere.

Overview of the Universities

Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität (WWU) / University of Münster
The University of Münster (WWU) comprises 15 faculties, teaching 120 subjects and serving around 45,000 students, making the WWU one of Germany’s largest universities. It offers a full range of subjects including medicine, law, business and finance, musicology, science and the humanities. The university fosters many interdisciplinary branches and works closely with other members of the scientific community such as the Max Planck Institute. Two of its top priorities are nanotechnology and biomedical sciences.

University of Applied Sciences
University of Applied Sciences is a mecca for anybody who wants to become a chemical, electrical or construction engineer. It is also popular with those pursuing architecture and design as well as students planning to work as nurses or in the outpatient care system. The student body numbers about 10,000.

Kunstakademie / Academy of Fine Arts
Teaches fine arts, sculpture, photography, digital art and new media.

Philosophisch-Theologische Hochschule der Franziskaner und Kapuziner Münsters
A college for Franciscan and Capuchin monks.

Katholische Fachhochschule NRW / Catholic University
Focuses on subjects such as religious instruction, social work and drug counselling

What Münster is like

Münster was Lukas Rotter’s first choice when the prospective law student was deciding on colleges a couple of years ago.

Why did you pick Münster?

The faculty offered an English-for-lawyers program I was keen on. But I have long since dropped law and am now enrolled in a master’s program for sociology, political science and ethnology.

Would you recommend the city for students?

Definately. Münster is not a city you lose yourself in, like Berlin for example. It’s big enough to party and small enough to stay focused on your studies. You don’t really need more than a bicycle to get around town. That's good because Münster’s university buildings are scattered around the city, some of them located in splendid historic buildings.

How do you spend your free time?

I love to go running at the Aasee lake in the city center. You start jogging downtown, and after a few minutes you’re already in the countryside. Besides studying, I earn my living at the regional airport nearby, dealing with passenger handling for Eurowings. I wouldn’t mind staying in Münster to pursue my career after graduation.

The harbour on a summer's night in Münster, by photocase user blende8 What is your favorite spot?

My favorite spot is the city harbor. It’s an old industrial area that has been transformed into a strip of bars and restaurants. Bring your own barbecue grill and some friends, find yourself a nice spot behind the pub strip and you’ll enjoy your bratwurst and a terrific view of Münster’s downtown skyline.

Did you know?

Did you know that Titus Dittman, father and founder of the German skateboarding scene, lives and works in Münster? In 1982, he organized the Münster Monster Mastership – a small halfpipe contest held in a parking lot that has since developed into the famous World Skateboarding Championships. In addition, many famous German musicians and politicians have lived and studied in Münster. The city was also home to Johannes Georg Bednorz. He spent his student days here, and in 1987 was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics.

Things to check out

Pinkus Müller brewery in Münster by Rüdiger Wölk While in Münster, you should try a local beer. Don’t miss the Pinkus Mueller brewery which serves a form of pale ale brewed from recipes dating back to 1816. And then there’s the Prinzipalmarkt which is definitely another must-see spot while you’re in Münster. This central square of the old town is lined with gabled houses, classical architecture and colonnades. Browse through the bookstores and shops or relax with a cup of coffee.
When it comes to transport, a bicycle is definitely your best bet. Whether you’re going to work or class or you’re just running errands, it’s faster by bicycle. On two wheels, you’ll also blend in with the locals – it seems everybody in Münster moves around on bicycles. In fact, Münster was recently nominated Germany’s most bike-friendly city. While other cities build parking garages for cars, Münster provides a parking garage for 3,500 bicycles. So take a ride and explore open-air sculptures, palaces and waterways in Germany’s bicycle capital. And if you’re not a bicycle person? Try on a pair of inline skates – every first and third Friday in the month many areas of the city are closed to traffic solely for the benefit of inline skaters.

What’s happening?

Kuhviertel in Muenster, photo by pixelquelle user DoRe When it comes to nightlife, the Kuhviertel is home to Münster’s most interesting bars. To take in a good dose of local charm, visit the Cavete, a pub which is run by students for students, and offers a range of food and drinks at prices that won’t ruin your budget. In the summertime, most of the city’s famous live music scene moves outdoors to take advantage of the warmer weather, so be sure to swing by one of the numerous open-air festivals Münster has to offer. And if you’d like to get rid of those excess kilos you put on while exploring the city’s nightlife, you might want to register for one of over a hundred different campus sports that the university offers, including diving, yoga, ballroom dancing and climbing. Münster also has a great deal to offer those wanting to take in some arts and culture. Baroque palaces outside the city, the botanical gardens and the Pablo Picasso Graphics Museum in the city center are places that the Münsteraner – as the locals are called – are very proud of, and rightfully so.