Wittringen offers visitors to Gladbeck a variety of experiences: the city museum explores local history, while the bird island and leisure facilities offer outdoor activities. When planning your visit, you can choose between exhibitions, birdlife and exercise.

City history at Wittringen Moated Castle

The Gladbeck City Museum has been housed in the historic manor house and gatehouse of Wittringen Moated Castle since 1928. Wittringen’s history dates back to 1263; the museum was established much later. Its exhibitions explore the lives and history of the people of Gladbeck. Changing special exhibitions, along with objects, photographs and interviews, offer a variety of insights into the city’s history.

Explore the permanent exhibition with a free audio guide on your own smartphone. The tour lasts 43 minutes, making it easy to plan into your schedule. As digital offerings may change, check the latest information before your visit. The museum also offers educational programs, guided tours and workshops for school classes across different subjects, age groups and school types.

Bird island and outdoor activities

Along a circular path on the bird island are eleven spacious, brightly lit aviaries housing exotic birds. The grounds include an approximately 3,900-square-meter open-air enclosure, a heated bird house, a pond and an outdoor enclosure with goats. There is also a petting zoo in the heated bird house. A wooden bridge leads to the bird island from the courtyard of the moated castle. The bird island closes for a seasonal winter break; check the latest visitor information before your visit.

A large adventure playground for children of all ages is right next to the heated bird house. At the edge of the Wittringen leisure complex are two privately operated mini-golf courses and public tennis courts. Visitors can take small, colorful boats out onto the lake in the castle pond. The Ringallee, also known as the “Marathon Route,” is used by runners and cyclists throughout the day and into the evening.

The leisure complex also includes a listed stadium, which hosts international competitions, and an accessible woodland nature trail. If a competition is important to your visit, check the dates in advance. The museum, bird island and Ringallee also differ in the time they require: the audio guide is listed as lasting 43 minutes, the Ringallee is used into the evening, and the bird island’s seasonal winter break should be taken into account.

More options in the wider Recklinghausen destination

The wider Recklinghausen destination offers additional cultural and transport options. In the city of Recklinghausen itself, the Recklinghausen Substation is Germany’s largest electricity museum. Exhibits there include a plasma globe, a walk-through tram and historic kitchen appliances that visitors can try out.

In the Recklinghausen district, long-distance cycle routes are signposted and run mostly away from main roads. The Vest region can be reached by train via 15 stations; one particularly fast connection is the InterCity to Recklinghausen Central Station. Check current train timetables for your travel dates.

Discover more destinations: Dorsten, Oer-Erkenschwick, Recklinghausen, Haltern Am See, Waltrop, Marl, Datteln, Castrop-Rauxel.

Back to the wider travel overview: Recklinghausen.