//
This is the only one of the original ten gates in the town wall that still exists. The new building dates from 1523–1526. Inside there is a museum on the history of the town with a unique collection of 25,000 medieval crossbow bolts from around the world.
The mighty tower of St. Patrokli is one of the town's landmarks. The Romanesque building was built as a collegiate church after 965. In the cathedral museum in the westwork, one can admire the "Root of Jesse" window, depicting the descent of Jesus. Also worth seeing is the apse painting from 1200 in the Marienchor. St. Patrokli is still considered to be the most extensive of its kind in Westphalia. In the Middle Ages, the 77-m-high westwork used to preserve the armory of the city. Even though St. Patrokli is called the Dom (German for "cathedral"), it has never been a bishop's church. The Cathedral Museum is open by appointment.
The "Alden Kerke", the oldest church foundation in Westphalia. The oldest part of the building dates from the 8th century, but can no longer be identified. The chancel dates from 1277 and is of Gothic origin, while the spire carries typical Baroque features. The emperor's loft from 1200 in the nave is testimony to important guests who used to stay in Soest in the past.
St Mary on the meadow
In the north of the old town, the towers of St. Maria zur Wiese ("Wiesenkirche") rise up into the sky. Built in 1313, it is one of the most beautiful late-Gothic hall churches in Germany. The towers, however, were not completed until 1882. Historically and culturally speaking, it may be called a "little sister" of the Cologne cathedral. In addition to important panel paintings from the 14th and 16h centuries, St. Maria zur Wiese houses the "Westphalian Supper" window on the north portal. This painting, created around 1500 by an unknown artist, is particularly fascinating, as it shows Jesus at the sacrament with his disciples. However, instead of a Near Eastern meal, they feast on Westphalian ham, beer and pumpernickel bread.
St Mary on the hill
St. Maria zur Höhe ("Hohnekirche") was built around 1220. It boasts a magnificent ceiling and wall paintings. The Byzantine influence is most evident in the ceiling painting in the main choir, the "Engelreigen" (Circle of Angels).
Old St Thomas' church
"Leaning Tower" is the name of the church of Old St. Thomae, one of the oldest Gothic churches in the city (around 1270). The tower dates back to 1653. A lot of history surrounds its creation. The misalignment results from damage caused by rot in the entablature.
St Paul's church
St Paul's church was rebuilt in the middle of the 14th century in the typical Soest church construction of a Romanesque to a Gothic church and contains beautiful stained glass and numerous figure sculptures. It was created around 1200. In 1530, the Dominican Father Johann Kelberg delivered the first evangelical sermon. He and his brother Thomas Borchwede were the pioneers of the Soest Reformation movement. Since 2009, the Paulikirche houses Westphalia's first columbarium - an urn burial ground - in a Protestant church. The most striking feature of this columbarium is that the St. Paul's Church not only urn cemetery but at the same time still worship of the Ev. St. Petri-Pauli parish Soest is.