Marta Herford Museum for Art, Architecture and Design in the Teutoburg Forest
c

Façade tour

All just a facade? Not in East Westphalia. Because it's really beautiful here. Picturesque natural landscapes of the Teutoburg Forest meet picture-book old towns and rural idylls. And the cultural landscape here also knows how to do it. Sometimes it is wooden, sometimes it makes waves, sometimes it is aristocratic. In any case, it surprises.

Das Rathaus in Paderborn
Leo Thomas, Tourismus NRW e.V.
First stop:

Paderborn

What do I love so much about Paderborn? Germany’s most water-rich city has so much more to offer than just its many pretty springs. Historical buildings from different eras meet house walls that have been turned into works of art.

On a street art tourA treasure hunt in the city

The main item on the agenda today is street art. Let us set out on my treasure hunt across the city. It starts out easy for me as I spot the first mural right next to the main railway station. The entire wall of the house is glowing in bright berry colours and sports a sad-looking woman on the right. I wonder what has her feeling like that? It surely isn’t that bad in Paderborn, I think to myself as a die-hard fan of Bielefeld. No, NRW city rivalries do exist outside of the Rhineland as well. Let’s be honest, though: Paderborn isn’t just “not that bad”, it’s actually pretty nice, even beyond the brightly coloured open-air art.

Travellers can leave it to chance whether and where they come across some graffiti and murals in East Westphalia’s second-largest city. They don’t have to, though. That’s why I downloaded “Actionbound”, the app associated with the Paderborn graffiti tour, to make sure that I wouldn’t miss a single piece of art and could walk through the city centre with my attention directed at all the right things. The same is possible on a guided tour as well. I personally, however, only check out the background information on the artists or the pieces of art in the app. Some come as texts, some as videos, and I even get to solve a puzzle here or there. This allows me to discover a different side of Paderborn. I like the way street art blends into the cityscape where old and brightly coloured things meet, such as in the historical town hall or the Paderquell area. My favourite mural is a particularly cordial one. Speaking of hearts: before I make my way to Westphalia’s show-off monument – Schloss Corvey – I need to stop at the Markt 5 Café to enjoy the Berliner-Luft-Torte. A fluffy raspberry meringue layered cake that is just about perfect, with a view of the cathedral in the historical old town.

Die Fassade eines Fachwerkhauses in Paderborn
Die Fassade eines Fachwerkhauses in Paderborn, Johannes Höhn, Tourismus NRW e.V.
Street Art an einer Mauer in Paderborn
Street Art an einer Mauer in Paderborn, Tourismus NRW e.V., Hulisz
Herzgraffiti Paderborn
Herzgraffiti Paderborn, Tourismus NRW, Nieweg

Curious?Check this out for further information!

Paderborner Street Art

Things are getting more and more colourful here: Thanks to graffiti art, a monastery wall over 100 metres long has long since become a photogenic sight as the "Busdorf Gallery". At the Secret City Festival, sprayers ensure that more works are added throughout the city every summer. 

Opening hours

No information

DetailsPaderborner Street Art

www.paderborn.de
Distance to the train station: 1,7 km

Moving onFrom Paderborn to Höxter

Happily fuelled up, I set off on the Nordwestbahn railway line towards Höxter. Goodbye urban open-air art, hello Schloss Corvey. Westphalia’s only, but particularly magnificent, Unesco World Heritage site is my next stop – and it’s well worth the journey.

Die Fassade des Welterbe Corvey in Höxter
Tourismus NRW e.V.
Second stop:

Höxter

The highlights here are best explored on foot: The World Heritage Schloss Corvey is only a short stroll away from the pretty half-timbered town, with the Weser promenade in between.

Idyllic half-timbered houses on the WeserWorld heritage site and water garden

It takes me about an hour’s journey through the varied Weserbergland landscape to get to my destination, and I can hardly wait to reach Altenbeken, which certainly is my highlight on this route. I can see the Altenbeken viaduct, a massive stone railway bridge that seems to float above the valley even from afar. The regional train is approaching it with slowly increasing altitude. Soon, I feel as if I were floating. The houses in Altenbeken look like miniatures as I enjoy a panoramic view during the crossing. The next stop is in Bad Driburg. It’s almost a shame that I’m not getting off here. Sitting on the left in the direction of travel, I can see the manicured grounds of the Gräflicher Park pass by. They’re just too beautiful. I am going to need plenty of time for my visit to Schloss Corvey, though.

Once at the Höxter railway station, I have three options for getting to the Unesco World Heritage site. I can walk, take the bus, or sail on the “Flotte Weser”. Schloss Corvey is located next to Höxter on the Weser promenade and has a jetty of its own. That’s pretty cool. I still choose to walk instead. Hiking along the Weser promenade certainly is a special experience. I’m also partly walking on the grounds of the State Garden Show here, which connects the half-timbered town of Höxter to the World Heritage site and has a few surprises in store. I take a short break at the water garden in the forest, which looks like an old castle ruin. It’s very idyllic. Soon after, the former Benedictine monastery Schloss Corvey with its two striking towers, the Carolingian westwork, comes in sight.

The only fully preserved Carolingian westwork in the world is located here in rural Höxter, making it a unique testimony to early medieval architecture. I am particularly fascinated by the Carolingian wall paintings inside the westwork, showing vivid biblical scenes, impressive figures of saints, and beautiful decorative patterns. These works of art shine in vibrant colours of red, blue, and gold, impressing with the clear contours and detailed depiction of their figures. The bright colours make the pictures virtually seem to glow and turn the visit into a memorable experience! Schloss Corvey also is architecturally impressive in some other respects. Medieval structures meet baroque elegance. The next stop is the princely library, infused with the scent of old leather, paper, and wood. Literary treasures from the past are everywhere, giving the place a special aura that continues outside in the monastery garden. There, a blooming paradise protected by tall monastery walls has its very own magic. I don’t really want to leave yet, but there are some other magical places waiting for me still.

Die Fassade des Westwerkes hinter Bäumen in Höxter
Die Fassade des Westwerkes hinter Bäumen in Höxter, Tourismus NRW e.V.
Das historische Rathaus in Höxter
Das historische Rathaus in Höxter, Tourismus NRW e.V., Hulisz
Feld und Bauchlauf am Holzweg zum Welterbe in Höxter
Feld und Bauchlauf am Holzweg zum Welterbe in Höxter, Tourismus NRW e.V., Hulisz

Curious?Check this out for further information!

Corvey Castle in Höxter

The monks have chosen a lovely spot for their monastery on the banks of the Weser! Emperors, kings and even a poet have wandered through the historic halls here since the foundation stone was laid, so I feel like I'm in good company ;)

Opening hours
Monday10:00 - 18:00
Tuesday10:00 - 18:00
Wednesday10:00 - 18:00
Thursday10:00 - 18:00
Friday10:00 - 18:00
Saturday10:00 - 18:00
Sunday10:00 - 18:00
Holiday10:00 - 18:00
Price information
Adultsfrom 14,00 €
DetailsSchloss Corvey in Höxter

www.corvey.de
Distance to the train station: 2,4 km

Moving onFrom Höxter to Detmold

I get back on the north-west railway. It’s time for me to rest a little. I turn on my podcast during the hour and a half that it takes me to travel to Detmold, once again passing through Altenbeken. Once again, the sight of the viaduct is fascinating to me. How often does one get to see Europe’s largest railway bridge twice in the same day? Later on, we pass by Horn-Bad Meinberg, with the mythical Externsteine stones rising into the sky somewhere to the left. I’ve visited this place so often before, and it’s always worth coming back again.

Dächer der Innenstadt von Detmold
Teutoburger Wald Tourismus, Dominik Ketz
Third stop:

Detmold

My next stop once again is proof that cultural highlights are not only waiting in NRW’s major cities. Hello, Detmold – and you are looking so outrageously good to boot.

Historical eye-catchersA town with plenty of history

“Next stop Detmold”. Oh, Detmold. I’ve always known your beauty, but it’s been a long time since I last visited. Right now, it feels just like coming home. I am thinking of countless family and school trips here. It’s obvious why I love this place so much, with its castle surrounded by the castle pond with its weeping willow; the many half-timbered houses, some of which are hidden in narrow alleyways, or the river Werre, meandering through the city and always offering a picture-book background. It all looks beautiful. I amble past the castle pond, enjoying the sun through the treetops. Coming around a small bend, I catch my first glimpse of the Fürstliches Residenzschloss Detmold palace, affording the perfect photo motif together with its U-shaped pond. Across from it, the Lippische Landesmuseum brings the region’s history from the Stone Age to the Middle Ages to life. I might go and refresh my knowledge there, but I actually feel rather like having a cup of ice cream right now. Let it be vanilla and strawberry. That may be a bit boring, but I know that I’m going to love it, just as I know that I love being in pretty little Detmold, and how much I can enjoy all the beautiful things around my home region, now that I think of it. My next destination will be Lemgo, which is about half an hour away on the bus line 790.

Der begrünte Schlosspark von Detmold
Der begrünte Schlosspark von Detmold, Teutoburger Wald Tourismus, Dominik Ketz
Fachwerkhäuser in der Adolfstraße in Detmold
Fachwerkhäuser in der Adolfstraße in Detmold, Teutoburger Wald Tourismus, Dominik Ketz

Curious?Check this out for further information

Detmold Old Town

A castle, half-timbered houses, small alleyways and water here and there. The old town is cosy and heart-warming. Fortunately, there is not only something for the eye and the soul, but also for the taste buds: strawberry ice cream, for example, and vanilla too.  

Opening hours

No information

DetailsAltstadt Detmold

www.detmold.de
Distance to the train station: 1,2 km

Moving onFrom Detmold to Lemgo

The journey between stations by bus to the historical Hanseatic city takes only a little more than 30 minutes on line 790.

Der Marktplatz in Lemgo
Lemgo Marketing
Fourth stop:

Lemgo

As small as it is exciting. The houses here are going to enchant you, and yet they will make you shudder all the same. Either way, keep on reading if you aren’t familiar with this small Hanseatic city in Lippe yet.

Jewellery in a rural idyllCraftsmanship at its finest

The bus carries me directly from the main railway station to my destination in Hamelner Straße, Lemgo. It’s a perfectly normal street, lined with some perfectly normal houses. If Lippe were not my hometown, which means that I know exactly where I am going here, I would not be thinking any further than this. As I walk unsuspectingly past a green hedge, I probably would be freezing in amazement.

One house on Hamelner Strasse is clearly out of line. It’s the Junkerhaus, or number 36. Standing side by side with all the other residential buildings as if it were just another one of them, it is a complete piece of art made of wood that we used to call a fairytale house. Architect, painter, and wood sculptor Karl Junker used to live here and continued to add to his home over a period of two decades, turning it into the artist’s house that it still is today. More specifically: He carved it to be that.

It's all made of wood. When I enter the adjacent museum building my path first takes me to the exhibition hall to get me in the right mood for Karl Junker’s world with oil paintings, architectural sketches, and crafted furniture. Genius and madness are really close together, I think as I enter the house, hearing it crunch and creak around me. Of course it smells of wood. Where to look first now? I have no idea. Sometimes the murals demand my attention, at other times it’s individual pieces of furniture like a secretary desk or a workbench. Many times, I lose myself in looking up at the ceiling. The knobbly wall ornaments appear like a labyrinth to me. That might be a me-thing, though. While I find them fascinating, they do send a shiver down my spine every once in a while when I think of what a hermit Junker must have been living here. I look back again as I stand on the pavement in front of the house. It’s a piece of art inside and out. It’s perfectly unique.

I myself certainly am no hermit and I’m still in the mood for a bit of hustle and bustle now. Since I’m back in Lemgo already, I naturally turn my steps to the old historical town centre about a kilometre away. The Hanseatic old town in Lippe always is a real gem for me. Walking through the old town centre, it’s a good idea to keep looking up – where each gabled house is more beautiful than the last. They grow older and older, too. This one was built back in 1556. Might any of them be even older than that? The longer I stroll through the alleyways, the more I am feeling that this is a proper jewel. The feeling is further amplified by the existence of the self-service shop, among other places, where engraved barbecue tongs and bottle openers or wooden signs with “Lemgoliebe” lettering are on display. The “Die Komplizen aus der Region” shop draws my attention, too, a city farm shop with regional and seasonal produce as well as handmade products from the region. The “accomplices” offering their wares here share their store and their staff. It’s a cool project, with cool products. I continue on my way until I have reached the market square, the old town’s centrepiece. Where else, if not here, should I take my coffee break? Well, of course there are also some opportunities for it in the rather fragrant Bad Salzuflen, my next stop along my trip.

Fachwerkhäuser in der Innenstadt von Lemgo
Fachwerkhäuser in der Innenstadt von Lemgo, Tourismus NRW e.V., Ilonka Zantop
Das Junkerhaus in Lemgo
Das Junkerhaus in Lemgo, Tourismus NRW e.V., Ilonka Zantop
Das Innere des Junkerhaus in Lemgo
Das Innere des Junkerhaus in Lemgo, Tourismus NRW e.V., Ilonka Zantop

Curious?Check this out for further information

Junker house

All carved out of wood by the former owner himself and hand-crafted over many years. This building doesn't really seem to be from this world, we used to call it a fairytale house. And now I realise again: it stimulates the imagination.   

Opening hours
Tuesday10:00 - 17:00
Wednesday10:00 - 17:00
Thursday10:00 - 17:00
Friday10:00 - 17:00
Saturday10:00 - 17:00
Sunday10:00 - 17:00
Price information
Adultsfrom 5,00 €
DetailsJunkerhaus

museen-lemgo.de
Distance to the train station: 2,0 km

Moving onFrom Lemgo to Bad Salzuflen

My next destination is easy to reach by bus as well, as line 963 connects the stations in the two cities. Once again, it’s about half an hour’s bus ride through rural Lippe.

Der Uhrenturm und Gradierwerke in Bad Salzuflen
Teutoburger Wald Tourismus, D. Ketz
Fifth stop:

Bad Salzuflen

“I have missed the smell of Bad Salzuflen” probably is something no one has ever said about the spa town in the Teutoburg Forest. Just follow your nose – but don’t forget to keep your eyes and ears open at the same time. We promise that it will be worth it.

Sea breeze to goAn old town with maritime air

Though I’m not exactly moving in floral fragrances today, I’m immersing myself in maritime scents. I get off in Bad Salzuflen, another East Westphalian place with a pretentious old town. As I have said before: I know my home state quite well, and since Bad Salzuflen’s old town is only a stone’s throw away from the station, I set out for it straight away. It’s not long before I spot the truly magical market square, dominated by the impressive Weser Renaissance town hall and topped by all the pretty restored half-timbered houses. For the first time, I realise the city’s astonishing number of fountains. I stroll through the winding alleyways to the spa gardens and can hear the object of my desire splashing before I lay eyes on it. I can smell it, too, of course. Sea air in the Teutoburg Forest – I love it. The huge wooden graduation towers never cease to amaze me. They even look like pieces of art. I watch the brine water run down the walls, creating a fine mist that covers the surroundings like a veil. It’s a holiday to go, and I spend some time walking up and down here before making my way back to the station. Then I’m off to Herford without a stopover in between – once again only a short journey away. 

Gebäude der Altstadt von Bad Salzuflen
Gebäude der Altstadt von Bad Salzuflen, Teutoburger Wald Tourismus, D. Ketz
Grünanlage vor den Gradierwerken in Bad Salzuflen
Grünanlage vor den Gradierwerken in Bad Salzuflen, Teutoburger Wald Tourismus, D. Ketz
Das Innere des Erlebnisgradierwerks Bad Salzuflen
Das Innere des Erlebnisgradierwerks Bad Salzuflen, Tourismus NRW e.V.

Curious?Check this out for further information

Bad Salzuflen spa gardens

Here in the spa park, it's a holiday to go, in the truest sense of the word: as I watch the brine water trickle over the brushwood, I breathe in the salty sea air deeply and enjoy the relaxed tranquillity with every step.

Opening hours

No information

DetailsGradierwerke in Bad Salzuflen

www.staatsbad-salzuflen.de
Distance to the train station: 1,4 km

Moving onFrom Bad Salzuflen to Herford

Once again, I get on the train: It’s off to Herford without any stopover – and again I only have a short journey ahead of me.

Der Rathausplatz in Herford
Teutoburger Wald Tourismus, Dominik Ketz
Sixth stop:

Herford

I find myself smiling as I take the train towards Herford. There used to be only one scenario where I used to do that: GO PARC. I spent countless weekends at that disco, with parental permission. Times have changed. A cultural programme is on the agenda today. I wouldn’t have believed that myself if you’d told me about it back then.

Great art in a small townGood on the outside, good on the inside

I’m no more than five minutes from the object of my desire when I reach the main station. The Marta Herford, a museum for contemporary art, design, and architecture, is a work of art in itself, even from the outside. Designed by famous architect Frank Gehry, it captures attention and attracts all eyes. Rust-coloured steel, glass, and concrete merge in dynamic forms. The different heights and depths of the façades give the Marta an incredible presence. I can’t stop myself from taking pictures from a number of directions. Once again, the façade isn’t all there is to it, as I am impressed to see upon entering. I briefly consider stopping for refreshments in the museum café, which is idyllically situated on the banks of the small river Aa, after the exhibition, but I end up walking through the old town on my way back to the railway station instead to stop at Gänsemarkt. That, I think, is the most beautiful place Herford has to offer. Surrounded by half-timbered façades, the cute market square is just the place for a break before my multi-faceted façade tour comes to an end. But it could just as well still go on to Bielefeld. It’s less than 10 minutes by train from the station to the largest – and for me the most beautiful – city in East Westphalia.

Die Fassade des Marta in Herford
Die Fassade des Marta in Herford, Tourismus NRW e.V.
Das Innere des Marta in Herford
Das Innere des Marta in Herford, Tourismus NRW e.V.
Das Dach des Marta in Herford
Das Dach des Marta in Herford, Leo Thomas

Curious?Check this out for further information

Marta Herford

Beautiful red brick and the stainless steel roof polished to a mirror finish: Even from a distance, this museum looks as if it has dressed up especially for me. In addition to the fantastic exhibitions, the outdoor terrace of the café overlooking the small river Aa is another reason for me to visit. 

Opening hours
Tuesday11:00 - 18:00
Wednesday11:30 - 18:00
Thursday11:00 - 18:00
Friday11:00 - 18:30
Saturday11:00 - 18:00
Sunday11:00 - 18:00
Price information
Adultsfrom 10,00 €
DetailsMarta Herford

www.marta-herford.de
Distance to the train station: 0,4 km

Do you need an overview?All stops at a glance

  • Sit and relax by the Pader, which is the smallest river in Germany, or pay a visit to the magnificent Neuhaus Castle - Paderborn is so romantic.
    Directly to Paderborn
  • Did you know that both Höxter itself and the Unesco World Heritage Site Corvey are located directly on the Weser promenade and have a landing stage? Travelling by boat: Check!
    Directly to Höxter
  • Detmold is a real feast for the eyes - with the Werre meandering through the town, small alleyways in the old town and the monumental Externsteine nearby.
    Directly to Detmold
  • Lemgo, you little Hanseatic town in Lippe. There is a very special gem to discover here. The Junkerhaus. A total work of art made of wood. By architect, painter and wood sculptor Karl Junker.
    Directly to Lemgo
  • Things get maritime in Bad Salzuflen. Here you can breathe in the sea air in the Teutoburg Forest. So take your time and breathe in deeply.
    Directly to Bad Salzuflen
  • At Museum Marta Herford, there is not only great art to experience inside - the building itself is a work of art. And rapper Tupac is waiting for you outside the door.
    Directly to Herford

    When is the train coming?Special advice for special situations!

    Are you once again finding yourself waiting for the train? No worries - there is plenty to discover in NRW.

    • Are you looking for a snack on the journey? Drop by the rustic Kloke bakery in Paderborn then, now run in its fourth generation.
    • The Adam-und-Eva-Haus in Höxter, one of the old town’s most beautiful houses, is located no more than three minutes from the railway station at Stummrigestraße 27. You’ll know where it got its name from when you look at the depictions on the half-timbered beams.
    • Delicious, healthy, and sustainable food can be found at the Petersilchen organic food shop in Detmold. The name sounds cosy, the offering is extensive, and a bistro serves some hot dishes as well.
    • Lemgo is and remains a fairytale-town. The Hexenbürgermeisterhaus about an eight minutes’ walk away will teach you about the witch hunts and the beautiful historical building in which it is located.
    • In Bad Salzuflen, a properly good cake or waffles are about 20 minutes away on foot. The cosy Café Rosenbogen even lets you buy some decorations and clothes to boot.
    • Chocolate will make you happy – and that’s why the short trip to Weinrich’s Schokoladen Bruchbude on Gänsemarkt in Herford is always worth your time. In addition to sweet bargains, the factory outlet will offer all the products manufactured in the Weinrich chocolate factory.

    Overnight advice

    • Consider staying at the Weser Aktivhotel right next to the World Heritage site of Corvey in Höxter.

    Your route:
    7163,6 km; 3:38 h travelling time
    Total energy | Energy per 100 km by train: 1.99 kWh | 1.22 kWh

    By comparison:
    Total energy| Energy per 100 km by car: 17.15 kWh | 13.03 kWh

    Are you feeling like another trip by train?