Paderborn thanks to its picturesque old town, diverse cultural offer and beautiful landscapes, attracts tourists who want to experience an authentic German atmosphere. It is worth taking a look at the city center, where medieval architecture intertwines with charming cobblestone streets.
See the extraordinary Paderborn Cathedral, a unique example of Romanesque and Gothic styles, decorated with stained glass and decorative details. Explore peaceful spots along the Pader River, which meanders through the city and is lined with charming cafés and restaurants.
The city is home to several museums and galleries, displaying a variety of contemporary and traditional art. Visit the Paderborn Art Museum, which has an impressive collection of modern and contemporary art, or tour the Diözesanmuseum, where you can admire sacred art and artifacts from the region. Relax while walking through Paderborner Land Park and discover this beautiful place. For a more adventurous excursion, head to the nearby Teutoburg Forest.
Location
Paderborn is located in Germany in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia at the source of the shortest German river – Pader.
MONUMENTS:
- Wewelsburg
Wewelsburg is a Renaissance castle located on the outskirts of the small town of Büren near the city of Paderborn. The original stronghold was built here in the first half of the 12th century. The castle-turned-museum is a triangular fortress shrouded in myth, legend and a dark past, offering a deep dive into German history, occult symbolism and war secrets.
- Neuhaus Castle
The magnificent Neuhaus Castle rises as a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture with beautiful gardens. However, this castle is a paradise for nature lovers. Here, historic splendor meets blooming landscapes, intriguing museums, extensive walking paths, and hidden corners perfect for daydreaming.
Although the castle mainly serves as a school today, its opulent Hall of Mirrors enchants visitors with its elegant atmosphere. It’s not just a venue for events—it’s a dream location for unforgettable weddings.
- Paderborn Cathedral
The cathedral in Paderborn is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint. Kilian and Saint Liborius. It is the cathedral church of the Archdiocese of Paderborn, located in the center of Paderborn the largest and tallest cathedral in Germany.
- Herz-Jesu-Kirche (Church of the Sacred Heart)
The Church of the Sacred Heart in Paderborn is a neo-Gothic Roman Catholic church, built between 1897 and 1898.
INTERESTING MUSEUMS:
- Heinz Nixdorf MuseumsForum
The Heinz Nixdorf Museum is considered a great computer museum. Using over two thousand artifacts, it presents the history of communication technologies over 5,000 years, since writing on clay tablets began in Mesopotamia, but the main emphasis is on the development of computers.
The museum is housed in an attractive, modern building and is part of the Heinz Nixdorf Museum Forum, which organizes regular symposia on IT-related topics.
- Diözesanmuseum
The Diocesan Museum inspires visitors with exhibitions of art and history of religious culture. The collections of the Diocesan Museum include over 40,000 objects from all areas of art and church culture. It is one of the largest museums of the history of religions in the world.
The emphasis is on the late medieval sacred art of Old Bavaria, Swabia and the Alpine region, as well as historically important works of art of the southern German Baroque and Rococo, but also artifacts from the areas of liturgy, popular piety, pilgrimage and monastic culture.
Another collection area includes 2,700 objects from early Christian and Byzantine art and culture, which can be used to illustrate the origins of Christian art and liturgy in a separate exhibition area.
- Stadtmuseum Paderborn
Paderborn City Museum, located in the very center of the city, near the Pader springs. In addition to numerous models, media and listening stations that bring the former cityscape back to life, the central exhibition space of the museum is the “Object Storage”, which showcases the diversity of the cultural-historical collections of the city of Paderborn and beyond. The monastery and garden of the Abdinghof Monastery, founded by Bishop Meinwerk and dating from 1015/16, are unique for the location of the museum.
FUN:
- Westfalen-Therme
Westfalen Therme Bad in Lippspringe is a great attraction for families with children. The spa located in the middle of the Teutoburg Forest Nature Park is a subtropical swimming pool that is equipped with a large family area, an extensive thermal bathing area, a stylish sauna oasis and a salt spa. Westfalen Therme also offers a wide range of wellness and sauna services.
