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Welcome to OsnabrückCity of Peace

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Osnabrück’s political andcultural life is an embodi‐

ment of the maxim: “The taskof peace – committed topeace”. After 5 years of nego ‐tiations the “Peace of West‐phalia” that ended the ThirtyYears’ War was proclaimed onthe steps of its Town Hall in1648. For more than 65 yearslocal primary school childrenhave been commemorating thisevent every year with a hobbyhorse parade.Today, people still come togeth‐er where merchants used to

meet in the olden days: The “Markt” (market place) has remained the heart of the cityhosting weddings, festivals,wine events and the traditionalannual Christmas Market. Its flair is enhanced by the surrounding picturesque and historic buildings, such as theTown Hall, the “Stadtwaage”(city scales), St. Mary's Churchon one side, the colorfulbougeois houses with theirstepped gables on the otherside. Just a few steps outsidethe market place Osnabrück’s late Romanesque cathedral (St Peter’s Cathedral) overlooksthe city’s old town.

A wonderful mix of historical andmodern timesFrom 1412 to 1669 Osnabrückwas a member of the “Hanse”

Welcome

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Osnabrück – peaceful and cosmopolitan

The market place with its historic buildings

The European Heritage Labelhonors places which played a central role in the history of Europesuch as the Town Hall of the Peaceof Westphalia.

(Hanseatic League), the mostimportant trading alliance of itstime that brought great statusand wealth to its membercities. These days, the old traderoutes have turned into pleas‐ant streets with attractiveshops. The mixture of historicquarters and modern architec‐ture is the hallmark of Osna ‐brück whose status as a Uni versity city (almost 27,000students) completes its longhistory of Episcopal power. Osnabrück’s compactness is keyto its popularity. Whether forsightseeing, shopping, strollingor studying – a good layout andshort distances are a plus for allguests.

A city surrounded by natureMoreover, Osnabrück (165,000inhabitants) is very fortunate tobe located in the middle of anature reserve. With 1,220square kilometres the UNESCOGlobal Geopark TERRA.vita

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Osnabrück is a member ofthe network HistoricHighlights of Germany(www.historicgermany.com) and spans the gap between pastand present.

is wide open for cycling and hiking tours as well as for improving your handicap onone of the many golf courses scattered in the countrysidesurrounding the city. Embeddedbetween the Teutoburg Forestand the “Wiehengebirge”, the green traces of this nature reserve stretch right into Osnabrück’s inner city.

You can find many green areas in Osnabrückand the region.

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Around the year 780,Charlemagne, king of the

Franks, erected a stone churchon the banks of the Hase Riverthe nucleus of today’s Osna ‐brück. The city’s name presum‐ably a combination of the LowGerman words Ossen (ox) andBrügge (bridge). Being the hubof old trading routes and a bish‐op’s seat, Osnabrück developed

into a thriving centre for commerce in the Middle Ages.In 1157, Emperor Frederick Barbarossa granted the city itsfortification privileges. Most ofthe towers that were part ofthe medieval fortification canstill be seen in the city.

Osnabrück and thePeace of WestphaliaFrom 1412 to 1669, Osnabrückwas both a member of theHanse (Hanseatic League) andof the Westphalian Federationof Cities. Magnificent townhouses and other prestigiousbuildings bear witness to thepower and wealth of the medieval merchants. Osna ‐brück became important duringthe negotiations for the Peaceof Westphalia that took placehere and in nearby Münster between 1643‐1648. The Peaceof Westphalia, proclaimed inOctober 1648, finally ended theThirty Years’ War and changed

History

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Door handle of the Town Hall of the Peace of Westphalia

1,200 years of eventful history

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One of the fortified towers (Bucksturm)

the face of Europe. While theCatholics used Münster as avenue, the Protestants residedin Osnabrück. Following thistime Osnabrück was alternatelyruled by Catholic and Protes‐tant bishops until 1803.

Famous natives of OsnabrückOsnabrück became widelyknown amongst literaturelovers through the works of one of its own sons, ErichMaria Remarque (1898‐1970).The Erich Maria RemarquePeace Centre dedicates an exhibition to his life and literarywork. Another of the city’s natives is Felix Nussbaum. The artist was born in Osna ‐brück in 1904 and died in 1944in Auschwitz. The renowned architect Daniel Libeskind designed the Felix‐Nussbaum‐Museum as a special place forNussbaum’s artistic work. Thearchitecture of the building isintended as “rooms againstOblivion” and captivates visitorsby its unusual interior design.

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The Felix‐Nussbaum‐House with its special architecture

Felix Nussbaum “self‐portrait with easel”

There is a guided city tour in English every Monday at 7 p.m. which starts in the townhall. Registration is not required.

CITY TIP

Erich Maria Remarque Peace Center

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� Town Hall of the Peace ofWestfalia Built in late Gothicstyle, with the historic “Cham‐ber of Peace”. The MunicipalTreasury with the imperial goblet and historic town replicaare well worth seeing.� Heger Tor The Heger Tor wasbuilt in 1817 as a memorial tothe soldiers from Osnabrückwho fought at Waterloo.� Felix‐Nussbaum‐Haus / Museum of Cultural HistoryThe museum building, whichwas opened in 1998 and designed by the American

architect Daniel Libeskind,houses the largest collection of works by the Jewish painterFelix Nussbaum, who was bornin Osnabrück and murdered inAuschwitz in 1944.� Bucksturm The Bucksturm isthe oldest tower of the formertown wall and was a prison andtorture chamber during certainperiods.� Kunsthalle OsnabrückThis Gothic hall church (13th

century) was a monasterychurch until 1803, then a barracks and since 1971 it hasbeen the town art gallery. It is one of the most beautifulexhibition rooms in Lower Saxony.� HerrenteichswallThe Herrenteichswall was an element of the fortification andprotected against attacks. InMay 1909 the newly arrangedentrance to the Herrenteich‐swall with the Haarmanns ‐brunnen was inaugurated.

Culture

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Town Hall of the Peace of Westphalia

The CityCard is a ticketfor all buses within thecity, including free ad-

mission to six museums in Osna-brück plus a voucher booklet forother interesting cultural activities. www.osnabrueck.de/english

CITY TIP

Old Town Sightseeing Tour

� Cathedral Treasury andDiocesan Museum Sculptures,paintings and textiles pertain‐ing to the history of the dioceseof Osnabrück from the 11th tothe 18th centuries are on display in the Cathedral Vaultand Museum of the Diocese in the Romanesque cloister ofSt. Peter’s Cathedral. Marktplatz The Town Hall,Stadtwaage and the St. Mary’sChurch on the one, the colour‐ful bourgeois houses with theirstepped gables on the otherside, border the historic marketplace.

St. Marien Gothic Hallchurch (14th century) with important art objects includingthe intricately carved main altar (16th century). Visitors canclimb to the top of the churchtower.� Bürgerbrunnen Hans‐GerdRuwe created the well, whichwas inaugurated in 1985. Referring to the 1200th an‐niversary of the city in 1980,the well consists of 1200 partsand tells the history of Osnabrück.

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Old Town Station

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Pl.Hbf/Main Station

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� Steigenberger Hotel Remarque� Romantik Hotel Walhalla� arcona living Osnabrück� advena hotel hohenzollern

old town sightseeing tourpedestrian areafree WiFi (Telekom)Tourist Information

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Osnabrück is a haven forall gourmets. This is not

only because the IKO restaurantand the Friedrichs restaurantranks among the top 500 inGermany. Another foodie destination in the city is the

restaurant “Weinwirtschaft” at“Steigenberger Hotel Remar‐que”. It offers a range of localand seasonal dishes and alwaysdelicious wine types. In contrast, those who like a morerustic setting will enjoy thebrewery “Rampendahl” in theold town. The confectioner“Leysieffer” has been the firstaddress for sweet treats formore than 100 years. Speakingof tradition: The restaurantWalhalla is Osna brück’s oldestinn. Fresh local ingredients are a feature of a typical Osnabrück meal. In spring thereis asparagus, in winter there iskale, served with smoked porkchop or white pudding. There is culinary delight ofevery kind and for every tastein Osna brück. Even more quality of a buzz and vitality is brought into theOld Town by the lively coffeebars and with own roastinghouses.

Lifestyle

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There are some nice cafes in the marketplace in the old town

Culinary highlights

One of the top 500 restaurants in Germany: IKO restaurant

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n Heger-Tor-Quarter: Enjoy the Old Town with exquisiteboutiques, small art shopsand typical pubs.

n Redlinger Straße:The Redlinger Straße is an in‐dividual, young‐scene districtand is particularly known forits number of alternativestores, bars, restaurants andcafés.

n Große Straße: The popularmain shopping street down‐town is the Große Straßewhere you can find the majorlarge chains and regionaldealers.

n Nikolaiort: The meetingpoint in the heart of the cityoffers many varied pavementcafes or bars to relax in dur‐ing a shooping trip.

n Kamp-Promenade: The openshopping centre offers be‐sides its extraordinary archi‐tecture a variety of differentshops, an ice cream parlorand a bakery.

n Herrenteichsstraße: Startingfrom the Nikolaiort, this smallstreet houses modern design,individual stores and goodcatering.

n Hase-Quarter: This shoppingdistrict with its varied gas‐tronomy is directly locatedalong the river “Hase”.

n Hasestraße: This street ispopular for its charming mixture of rustic pubs, southern street life and specialist retailers.

n Lotter Straße: Art, cultureand vitality all jostle in thisstreet. Small, individual shopsand different restaurants alternate with green areas.

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Shopping in the Heger‐Tor‐Quarter

Shopping in the city of Osnabrück

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Shopping Quarters

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Further information www.osnabrueck.de/english

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Christmas marketSimply enchanting and one of themost  beautiful of the North is thehistoric Christmas Market in front ofthe Town Hall and St Peter's Cathe-dral. Atmospheric Christmas lightsilluminate the Old Town. From theend of November to December 22th.

Morgenland FestivalSince 2005, the Morgenland Festival Osnabrückhas devoted itself to the fascinating world ofMiddle Eastern music: An important venue for musicians and music enthusiasts from Eastand West. Every year in late summer.

Night of CultureExperience the culturaldiversity of the city – anight of outstanding cul-tural entertainment. LastSaturday in August.

Osnabrück Wine DaysIn vino veritas – a local winetasting event for wine buffsnext to the Town Hall in the Old Town.

May Week FestivalNorthern Germany’s uniqueinner city festival. 10 days ofmusic, comedy and open-airshows. Every year during the2nd week in May.

European Media Art Festival (EMAF)As one of the most important forums for media art, the EMAF offers an up-to-date overview of contemporary themesand aesthetics in the field of media art.

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n Springbrötchen: The breadroll made in Osnabrück is a must in nearly all bakeries. It derives its name (crackerroll) from the cracked, crispy surface created by repeatedly applying a thinlayer of butter or oil on itssurface.

n Himmlische by Leysieffer:The confectionery “Leysieffer” has been thefirst address for sweet treats for more than 100 years.

n Hobbyhorse chocolate confectionery: The finestchocolate confectionerymade in Osnabrück: Hand‐crafted truffles and pralinesmade from the finest rawmaterials (with alcohol) and of course withoutpreservatives.

n Rampendahl: on three floorsof the‐pub‐come‐breweryguests can enjoy the tradi‐tional home‐made Rampen‐dahl beer.

n Coffee roasters: Many smallcoffee roasting houses inviteyou to take a break in pleas‐ant surroundings and enjoy ataste of freshly roasted cof‐fee beans complemented bysmall snacks and delicacies.

n Open air market on Satur-days: from 7 am – 2 pm inthe courtyard of St Peter’scathedral visitors can fill theirshopping baskets with awealth of fresh produce fromlocal traders and producersfrom the Osnabrücker Landregion.

n Old Town pubs: Countlessquirky pubs with an abun‐dance of flair invite guests to stay and enjoy the atmos‐phere of Osnabrück’s well‐litoriginal inner city.

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Absolute musts

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The open air market on Saturdays

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Package deals

Christmas time in OsnabrückOur Christmas Market istruly inspiring and regard-ed as one of the most beau-tiful Christmas Markets inthe North of Germany:Cosy atmosphere, historicsetting and magical light-ing of the town. Enjoy ahot cup of mulled wine andkeep it a souvenir. From 79 € p.P. in a double room.

Osnabrück – at first glanceJust try a little piece ofOsna brück. Includes oneovernight stay, the citycard that helps you to find your own waythrough our city. A nicelittle cappuccino break is also included. From 79 € p.P. in a double room.

Time for best friendsOsnabrück equates to agreat time for best friends:City stroll, shopping orjust browsing. Includes asmall French breakfast,sparkling wine in a fash-ion boutique, a cocktail inthe evening and more.One or two overnightstays. From 139 € p.P. in a double room (one night).

Ideas for a stopover

INFO & RESERVATION

www.osnabrueck.de/english

+49 541 323-4567

Booking and further information: Tourismus und Tagungsservice Osnabrück | Osnabrücker LandPhone: +49 541 323‐4567 or www.osnabrueck.de/english

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Osnabrück is surroundedby charming countryside

that offers many recreationalactivities. Whether you enjoywalking, cycling, jogging morethan 3500 km of long distance,circular and bike trails standready for you. The ridges ofthe Teutoburg Forest andthe Wiehengebirge shapeOsnabrück’s surroundings.Most of the region is partof the nature reserve TERRA.vita, member of a European network of nature parks.

The Varus Battle –Museum and ParkKalkrieseThe devastating defeat of theRoman legions under Varus in the year 9 AD against the Germanic tribes is legendary.The victory of Arminius wassupposed to be the beginningof the end of the long‐lasting

Roman Empire. Where and howexactly Arminius succeeded hasproduced a lot of speculationand myths. In 1989, the sitenear Kalkriese was discoveredby archaeologists and the excavation is still continuing.Nowadays, Kalkriese is oneof Europe’s most importantexcavation sites. The Varus Battle Exhibi‐tion, redesigned in 2009,allows you to experiencehistory and presents an

overview of the current research findings. The24‐hectare park invites youto explore all that it has tooffer. Top‐class special exhi‐bitions, numerous events –

such as Germany's biggest Roman and Germanic Days –and exciting guided tours makea visit a special event.

www.kalkriese-varusschlacht.de/en

Where Romans met with Germanic tribes

The Varus Battle – Museum and Park Kalkriese

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The Initial BuildingFor about 600 years the Bish‐ops of Osnabrück resided herein the only still existing castlebuilt on a hill in the Osnabrück‐er Land region. The castle wasbuilt in the 11th century underthe reign of Bishop Benno II.Until its dissolution in 1802 italso used to host a communityfrom the Benedictine order.

Redesign andRestorationUnder Konrad IV. von Rietberg(Bishop from 1482‐1508) Iburg

Castle became the permanentresidence of the Bishop of Osnabrück. He added an octagonal keep (later calledBennoturm). The palace`s cur‐rent appearance was shaped byits redesign in Renaissance style in the 16th and 17th centuriesPrince Bishop Franz Wilhelmvon Wartenberg (1625‐1661)had the Knights` Hall turnedinto a Baroque State Roomwhich has been restored to its former splendour followingcomprehensive restorationwork in the 20th century.

Countryside

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Iburg PalaceIburg Palace in Bad Iburg

Baroque State Room

Sophie CharlotteOne of the palace`s most famous inhabitants was SophieCharlotte, daughter of Ernst August I., Duke of Braun‐schweig‐Lüneburg and Sophievon der Pfalz, who lived in IburgPalace from her birth in 1668 to1673 and who, in 1701 becamethe first Queen of Prussia aftermarrying Frederick I of Hohen‐zollern. Following her earlydeath in 1705 Frederick nameda newly‐built residence afterher, Charlottenburg Palace. Today the palace and the district of Charlottenburg formpart of the city of Berlin.

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Ippenburg Palace in Bad Essen

Guided tours for groupsin the English language canbe individually arrangedwith Bad Iburg Tourist-Information.Phone: +49 5403 404-66www.badiburg.de

Further palaces in the Osnabrücker Land regionthat can only be viewedfrom the outside:n Ippenburg Palace

Schloßstraße 149152 Bad Essen

n Schelenburg moated castleAlt‐Schledehausener‐Straße49143 Bissendorf

n Hünnefeld Castle + Alte Rentei49152 Bad Essen

n Gesmold PalaceSchloßallee 549326 Melle

n Fürstenau PalaceSchloßplatz 149584 Fürstenau

Gesmold Palace in Melle

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Souvenirs

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Tourist Information Osnabrück | Osnabrücker LandBierstr. 22‐23, 49074 Osnabrückwww.osnabrueck.de/tourismus/service/shop

Brand new:The City Hall EditionFrom glasses cloths and twin sets of mugs to shoulderbags; all in identical design from 4,95 € to 27,95 €

Hobbyhorse riding jigsaw puzzleRecalling the events of 25 October 1648 whenthe long‐awaited Peaceof Westphalia is pro‐claimed from the stairs of the City Hall in Osna ‐brück. 14,95 €

The City Hall ModelMaterial: liquid synthetic resin/poly‐resin 4,95 €

Sweet greetings from Osnabrück Finest Belgian wholemilk chocolate withsugar print.9,95 €

“Good MorningOsnabrück“ CupPorcelain coffeemugs decoratedwith the silhou‐ette of Osnabrück,dishwasher safe.8,95 €

Things to take home

Münster

Dortmund

Bielefeld

Kassel

OldenburgBremen

Hannover

Hamburg

Osnabrück

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Surrounding Area Map

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Hotels

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Nostalgic memories in Osnabrück

arcona LIVING OSNABRÜCK

· 156 rooms and suites· Restaurant Weinwirtschaft & Haarlem Bar· Wine trade Weinhandel Enoteca STEIGENBERGER HOTEL REMARQUENatruper-Tor-Wall 1 · 49076 OsnabrückTel.: +49 541 6096-0osnabrueck@steigenberger.dewww.osnabrueck.steigenberger.de Business adress: arcona Hotel GmbH · Steinstr. 9 · 18055 Rostock

AT THE EDGE OF OSNABRÜCK‘S HISTORIC OLD TOWN

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Romantik Hotel Walhalla . Bierstraße 24 . 49074 Osnabrück0541 -34 91 0 . walhalla@hotel-walhalla.de . www.hotel-walhalla.de

YOU ARE WELCOME …t o one of the most beautiful places in the historic center of Osnabrück. Come and visit us – our day- & night lounge, our restaurant,our hotel. See you soon!

Bierstraße 22-2349074 Osnabrück

Phone +49 541 323-2202e-mail: tourist-information@osnabrueck.de

www.osnabrueck.de/englishmo - fr: 9.30 a.m. - 6 p.m.

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Tourist InformationOsnabrück | Osnabrücker Land