Paderborn - the green city

Paderborn is located in Germany in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia at the source of Germany's shortest river, the Pader. It was first mentioned as early as 777, where it was mentioned as the seat of Charlemagne's parliament. In 1295, Paderborn became a city of the Hanseatic League. At the end of World War II, it was almost completely razed to the ground, but one can find many monuments that have survived or been restored to their original appearance.

Paderborn - attractions not to miss

What to see in Paderborn? - we suggest in the text below.

Paderborn market square and town hall

On the market square is the 17th-century Renaissance town hall, and it's also worth noting there the oldest half-timbered house in the city, called the Adam and Eve House. It now houses the city's history museum.

Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saints Liborius and Kilian

This late Gothic cathedral, which dates back to the 14th century, also has partially preserved elements from its previous Romanesque appearance, such as an 11th-century tower. A temple on this site had existed since the late 8th century. The relics of Saint Liborius of Le Mans, the patron saint of Paderborn, are kept here. There is a diocesan museum attached to the cathedral, which takes a closer look at the history of the local diocese and has a large collection of liturgical objects and sacred art.

Chapel of St. Bartholomew the Apostle

This chapel dates back to 1017 and is believed to be the oldest hall church in Germany, that is, one in which all the naves are the same height. It once served as a chapel for the Ottonian imperial palace. The chapel suffered serious damage during Allied bombing at the end of World War II and was restored in 1963. It is worth going inside and seeing for yourself how great its acoustics are.

Neuhaus Castle

This Renaissance castle is located in the Auen Park, in the Schloss Neuhaus district. It was the residence of the Paderborn metropolitan princes. It is surrounded by beautiful public baroque gardens. The interior of the castle is used for various cultural events. In addition to the castle and gardens in the park, visitors can visit the city's art gallery and Natural History Museum.

The Imperial Castle and Foundations of Charlemagne Castle in Paderborn

Located on the north side of the cathedral, the reconstructed Ottonian-Salic imperial castle dates from the Romanesque period. It houses a museum with many valuable archaeological finds. In front of the castle, you can see the preserved foundations of Charlemagne's castle and fragments of the medieval defensive walls.

The Heinz Nixdorf Museum Forum

Under this name lies the world's largest computer museum named after German computer pioneer Heinz Nixdorf. There you can closely trace the history of computing technology from the invention of writing to the creation of artificial intelligence. Among the exhibits are various office machines, calculators, the first computers or robots.

German Museum of Tractors and Model Cars in Paderborn

This place collects more than 100 different models of German tractors and more than 10,000 models of cars of almost all makes.