Summary
Once a mining town, Lünen in the eastern Ruhr area has transitioned into a center for manufacturing and sustainable energy. The vestiges of its mining past are evident in the impressive headframes of the Zeche Minister Achenbach and Gneisenau mines.
However, the adverse consequences of the industrial era have largely been rectified: A former open sewer has been transformed into a vibrant river lined with lush greenery, while the post-industrial landscape of the Zeche Preußen colliery has been replaced by the pristine park and swimming lake known as Seepark Lünen.
In the city center, visitors can admire charming half-timbered houses dating back to before the industrial period. Additionally, a trip to Dortmund, which is merely a 15-minute train ride from Lünen, can be easily arranged.
Let’s explore the top attractions in Lünen:
1. Seepark Lünen
In the 1990s, a former industrial wasteland from the Zeche Preußen mine was revitalized for the Landesgartenschau (State Garden Show) in 1996. Now, nearly nine decades after the mine ceased operations, it is challenging to identify the historical remnants within the undulating landscapes of Seepark.
The Seepark features a green amphitheater set in what appears to be a natural valley; this is, in fact, the Horstmarer Loch, a 12-meter depression resulting from mining activities.
Prominently featured at Seepark is the expansive 10-hectare swimming lake.
The southern shore, alongside its islands, serves as a nature reserve, while the northern shore boasts a broad beach bordered by manicured lawns.
Available facilities at Seepark include a snack bar on the beach, soccer fields, a disc-golf course, and an apothecary garden.
2. Schloss Schwansbell
Directly across from the Seepark, situated along the Datteln-Hamm Canal, is a palace that dates back to the late 10th century.
For 700 years, the moated castle that once occupied this site was under the jurisdiction of the Lords of Schwansbell.
Following a fire, a new structure was erected in the 1870s, featuring an English Gothic Revival architectural style.
This monument, characterized by its octagonal towers, is illuminated at night and displays the coat of arms of the noble Westerholt-Gysenberg family above its main entrance.
Having undergone various transformations throughout the 20th century, the palace currently functions as an apartment and office building, while the serene wooded park adjacent to the old moat remains accessible to the public.
3. Museum der Stadt Lünen
The “Gesindehaus” (servants’ house) of Schloss Schwansbell has served as Lünen’s city museum since 1982. Visitors can explore five elegantly furnished rooms, each highlighting a different aspect of life in the city between 1840 and 1930. Among the exhibits are a working-class kitchen and the living space of an affluent civil servant’s family.
The most recent room features a study from 1930 belonging to a former colonial official who worked in German East Africa, complete with intriguing memorabilia from that era.
Lünen’s cast iron industry is represented by various furnaces from the 19th and 20th centuries, along with items such as lampposts and other street decor, supplemented by a collection of vintage toys and dolls.
An exhibition on ceramics showcases both local pottery from Lünen and imported wares from Hesse, Lower Rhine, and Lower Silesia.
4. Evangelische Stadtkirche Lünen
The principal Protestant church in Lünen was originally constructed in the 1360s and subsequently restored in the Late Gothic style during the 1510s following a fire.
Despite its modest size, the church is meticulously designed, featuring relatively low ribbed vaults supported by circular columns.
Above the chancel entrance, visitors can observe 16th-century frescoes that were uncovered at the start of the 20th century.
The choir features a valuable winged altar, painted in 1470 by the Master of Liesborn, depicting the Crucifixion and Entombment of Jesus.
Additional noteworthy elements include a triumphal cross (1470), a carved wooden gallery (1607), a baptismal font (1500), stone angel candle sculptures (late 1400s), and a tabernacle adorned with tracery and sculptures of Peter and Paul (also late 1400s).
5. Bergarbeiter-Wohnmuseum
One of the most compelling aspects of the mining history in the Ruhr area is the experiences of the miners themselves.
In the Brambauer district, visitors can explore the pre-planned Neue Zechenkolonie (New Mining Colony) established for the Zeche Minister Achenbach mine, located along the Industrial Heritage Trail.
Here, half of a block (two apartments) has been converted into a museum depicting the domestic life of mining families during the early 1930s.
The decor and furnishings have been preserved in their original state, showcasing kitchen amenities, an outhouse toilet, appliances, and piped plaster decor as they were 80 years ago.
The furniture has been sourced from local antique dealers or donated by community members.
6. Half-Timbered Houses (Fachwerkbauten)
Despite the demolition of numerous historical buildings during Lünen’s urban redevelopment in the 1960s, a handful of half-timbered houses remain preserved within the city center.
The oldest structure, located at Roggenmarkt 3, is a traditional Low German “Dielenhaus” (hall house) dating back to 1600. Nearby, on Silberstraße, is a charming pair of houses with triangular gables built in 1664. Finally, Mauerstraße features a picturesque street scene of timber-framed buildings that merits exploration on foot.
7. St. Marien
The main Roman Catholic church in Lünen is a Neo-Gothic basilica that was constructed rapidly between 1894 and 1896. The previous church on the north bank of the Lippe River was Romanesque, later redesigned in Gothic style during the Late Middle Ages.
By the late 19th century, the older structure was considered inadequate for the city’s growing population, necessitating this newer building, which spans 66 meters in length and features an 86-meter tower.
Art from the previous church was transferred into the new one, including a triumphal cross and baptismal font from the 14th century, alongside a Romanesque oak sculpture of Mary with Child dated to the 1260s.
8. Cappenberger See
On sunny summer days, Lünen boasts another delightful recreational area ideal for activities such as boating and fishing.
Pedal boats can be rented for €5, and visitors can enjoy a piece of cake at the on-site café.
The lake was formed in the 1920s when clay was excavated for the Prussia – Münster railway line, leaving a pit that eventually filled with water.
To the north lies the sparsely populated Cappenberger Wald, enriched with hiking trails amidst oak and beech forests.
Although swimming is not permitted in the lake, a municipal outdoor pool located on the eastern shore offers expansive lawns for sunbathers, shaded by tall trees.
9. Schloss Cappenberg
Located just a short distance from the lake is a former monastery perched atop a hill, overlooking the Lippe plain and eastern Ruhr area.
The Premonstratensians managed the monastery since the 12th century, having acquired the property from the Counts of Cappenberg, connected to the Hohenstaufen Holy Roman Emperors.
The current Baroque architecture dates back to the early 1700s, following extensive destruction during the Thirty Years’ War.
Visitors can typically explore the historical exhibition in the west wing, stroll through the surrounding forest and park, and enjoy breathtaking views to the south.
Regular performances of Renaissance and Baroque music are held in the collegiate church.
10. Zeche Gneisenau
Traveling a short distance will reveal a monument to the local mining industry: the large machinery of a 20th-century colliery visible from considerable distances to the south of Lünen.
Though Zeche Gneisenau is technically located within Dortmund city limits, it is only five kilometers from Lünen’s historic center.
When this century-old mine, power plant, and coking plant ceased operations in the 1980s, there were initial plans to transform the complex into a museum; however, these plans were eventually abandoned.
Now the two headframes, Englische Bock and Tomson Bock, stand as preserved monuments, overseeing the site like colossal sentinels.
The Tomson Bock merits closer inspection due to its scaffold construction and the steep, nearly vertical position of its supporting struts, necessitated by the limited space at the time.
11. Colani-Ei
One of the headframes for the Zeche Minister Achenbach mine in the Brambauer district received an unconventional redesign in 1995 by renowned industrial designer Luigi Colani.
He added a circular chamber at the top, which resembles a UFO. This monument is included in several themed routes along the Industrial Heritage Trail and symbolizes the Ruhr’s evolving relationship with its industrial machinery.
The structure now serves as a conference and events venue for the Lüntec technology park, established on the former mine site in 1991. The site is especially stunning at night when illuminated.
12. Sesekeweg
Even in the Ruhr area, which has undergone significant transformation in the past two decades, nothing has been revitalized as thoroughly as the Seseke River.
This left tributary of the Lippe had been an open sewer until 1984, after which all wastewater (from 75 sources) was redirected underground.
The current landscape bears no semblance to its polluted past, featuring a 20-kilometer cycling path that follows the river from the municipality of Bönen to Lünen.
Native trees of the Ruhr’s floodplains, including ash, hornbeam, wild cherry, and field maple, have been planted along the grassy banks.
There are also regular resting areas equipped with information panels detailing local ecology and history.
13. Lünsche Mess
From the second Thursday of September until the subsequent Sunday, Lünen’s pedestrian zone is filled with around 100,000 participants for the city festival.
The festivities commence with an opening by the Mayor on Thursday, and for four days, attendees can enjoy fairground rides, market stalls, beer gardens, and various culinary offerings from around the world.
Evenings feature live musical performances, while daytime activities include unique events such as a rubber duck race on the Lippe, along with shows and activities designed to engage children.
14. Brunnenfest
The second major event in Lünen’s annual calendar occurs during the last weekend of June when Willy-Brandt-Platz in front of the town hall transforms into the city’s largest beer garden.
This event is organized in collaboration with Dortmund’s renowned Union Brewery.
The mayor officially opens the festivities on Friday night by tapping the inaugural beer barrel.
From that moment onward until late into Saturday evening, the celebration includes merriment, live music, and vibrant entertainment.
In recent years, an alternative stage has been added at Pfarrer-Bremer-Parkplatz, featuring rock and electronic performances aimed at a younger audience.
15. Dortmund
A Regionalbahn train from Lünen will facilitate a 15-minute journey to Dortmund Hauptbahnhof.
Sports enthusiasts are likely familiar with Dortmund’s athletic heritage and will be drawn to the 80,000-capacity Signal Iduna Park, a magnificent sporting venue.
A visit could be complemented by a stop at the newly established German Football Museum, celebrating World Cup-winning teams and the Bundesliga’s formidable sides.
The expansive Westfalenpark, spanning 70 hectares, ranks among Europe’s largest urban parks, featuring various gardens and activities, including a chairlift and the 220-meter Florianturm that visitors can ascend.
To fully immerse oneself in the local culture, one might order a “Stößchen,” a small glass of beer, accompanied by a Salzkuchen, a roll filled with raw pork and onions.
