Osnabrück’s political and cultural life believes in the maxim “The task of peace” and is committed to peace. After five years of negotiations, the Peace of Westphalia that ended the Thirty Years’ War was proclaimed on the steps of the Town Hall in 1648. For more than 65 years, local fourth graders have commemorated this event every year with a hobbyhorse parade.
People still come together where merchants used to meet in the old days: The Markt (marketplace) remains the heart of the city and hosts weddings, festivals, wine stands, and the Christmas market. Its picturesque flair is formed by the Town Hall of the Peace of Westphalia, the Stadtwaage (city scales), St. Mary’s Church, and the high gables of the old merchant houses. Just a few steps further, you will be impressed by the late Romanesque cathedral (St. Peter’s Cathedral).
Moreover, Osnabrück (165,000 inhabitants) is very fortunate to be located in the middle of a nature reserve. With 1,220 square kilometers, the UNESCO Global Geopark TERRA.vita is wide open for cycling or hiking tours or for improving your handicap on one of the many golf courses around Osnabrück. Embedded between the Teutoberg Forest and the Wiehengebirge, the green traces of this nature reserve stretch right into the inner city of Osnabrück.