A moated castle with water-filled moats, a sculpture park with free admission and paths along the canal give Herne a range of cultural and scenic highlights. You can organise your plans around your interests: history and exhibitions, outdoor architecture or a bike ride.
Strünkede Castle and Herne’s history
Strünkede Castle is a moated castle surrounded by water-filled moats and a large pond. As the largest venue of the Emschertal Museum, it features the permanent exhibition “Land and People” as well as changing special exhibitions. The castle thus combines a striking historic building with a museum programme whose special exhibitions may change.
The castle chapel, the oldest building in Herne’s municipal area, is located in Strünkede Castle Park. Bernd von Strünkede founded it in 1272 as a place of worship for the castle’s residents. Today, the chapel is available for concerts and church services; if you are planning a visit for a specific occasion, check the current dates.
The LWL Museum of Archaeology and Culture offers another historical perspective, presenting 250,000 years of human history in Westphalia. Together with the “Land and People” exhibition, it offers a different perspective from that of a single castle or building—from regional history to the long development of human life in Westphalia.
Sculptures, garden city and studios
Flottmann Sculpture Park features 21 works across a park covering more than 10,000 square metres. The collection may change as works are added or relocated. The park and the Flottmann Art Nouveau gate can be visited at any time, free of charge. This makes it possible to combine outdoor art with a look at the Art Nouveau gate without having to budget for admission.
The listed Teutoburgia settlement in Börnig has been fully restored in its original style. A walk through the settlement offers a direct experience of the architectural and design variety of the garden city concept. Those interested in urban design will find a different way to explore cultural heritage here than in the museums.
The Unser Fritz artists’ collective provides eleven artists with their own studio spaces in the former pit building of the mine. The site thus combines a former mining complex with artistic work today. Do not assume that you are guaranteed a glimpse of studio life: the studio spaces are described here as places of work.
Forest, canal and bike ride
Gysenberger Forest covers around 58 hectares. Alongside Revierpark Gysenberg, it offers considerable recreational value; its stands of deciduous trees, some of them very old, are also ecologically significant. The Gysenberg wildlife enclosure, where animals are kept in conditions appropriate to their needs, is also located in the natural surroundings of the Ostbach valley.
Along the Rhine-Herne Canal in Herne, you can go for walks, cycle, fish, boat, swim, sunbathe, barbecue and skim stones across the water. The options range from spending time by the water to getting active along the canal. Check the relevant conditions before taking part in water activities.
For a longer bike ride, the 39-kilometre route “Around the Water – Cultural Canal, Emscher and Sea” follows the Rhine-Herne Canal, passes through Strünkede Castle Park and goes by Revierpark Gysenberg. The starting and finishing point is the Crange Funfair site. Before setting off, check the route conditions and available GPX files; this lets you plan the circular route as a trip in its own right, rather than treating it as a series of individual visits.
Planning visits with set dates
Group tours on cultural and historical topics are available at Strünkede Castle and its exhibitions. The programme lasts 60 minutes; check the current booking conditions before making plans. The GrabungsCAMP also has specific visiting arrangements: it can be visited in conjunction with a hands-on excavation. Regular sessions take place on Sundays and public holidays, and groups can book a date of their choice. Check dates and booking options again before travelling.
Herne therefore offers several distinct highlights for a stay: a castle and museum, outdoor art and architecture, and forest and water activities. The right combination depends on whether you want to focus your visit on exhibitions, a walk or a bike ride.
Discover more destinations: Bochum, Bottrop, Duisburg, Solingen, Oberhausen, Gelsenkirchen, Bonn, Essen.
Back to the main travel overview: North Rhine-Westphalia.
