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City in Lower Saxony, Germany
Photo: Jusos, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Osnabrück is a city of 165,000 people (2018) in Lower Saxony. It is one of the four largest cities in Lower Saxony, and sits in a valley penned between the Wiehen Hills and the northern tip of the Teutoburg Forest. After over two thirds of the city was destroyed in World War II, the Altstadt (old town) was eventually reconstructed extensively with designs faithful to the original medieval architecture.
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Dom Sankt Peter
Charlemagne founded the diocese of Osnabrück. Today's late-romanesque cathedral was erected from 1218 to 1277 and consecrated 1277. The shape is dominated by the two Western spires, which were built with 400 years in between. The triumph cross in the church was manufactured in the 12th century and is the largest cross in Lower Saxony.
Osnabrücker Schloss
It is now a university.
The Osnabrücker Rathaus (city hall) played a key role in the end of the Thirty Years War. The "Peace of Westphalia" was signed here and in nearby Münster because most Catholic and most Protestant states did not wish to attend the same peace conference at the same place.
A monument of Osnabrück soldiers who died at Waterloo and the neighbouring old town are remnants of an earlier manifestation of Osnabrück.
A museum dedicated to the Osnabrück native, Felix Nussbaum, a Jewish painter who was executed at Auschwitz during the World War II. The extension of the building was designed by Daniel Libeskind (of Berlin Jewish Museum fame).
Pub inside the Lagerhalle Cultural Centre. Pizza, pasta and salads.
The pub of a retired American soccer player who spent the majority of his career at German Second Division club VfL Osnabrück. Sandwiches (baguette) and salads (Greek, Scandinavian and Potato salad)
Traditional German dishes and craft beer. Offers a buffet menu at a reasonable price.
Very good home cooking at reasonable prices.
An original beerhall serving the local Osnabrücker Pils.
It serves a variety of German beers and offers Shishas (hookah/water-pipes) in a warm den-type environment.
It serves Caribbean style, on the premise of being a cocktail bar/salsa club.
If you like pop music, go to the Alando, which is near the central train station. There may be drunk and misbehaving people, though.
Behind the train station is the best alternative club. 21+.
If you like metal better, the Hyde Park is for you. Every Thursday and Friday, there is rock and metal night. For Goths: visit Hyde Park on the second or fifth Friday each.
Alternative/student bar with vintage interior and rock music. Mainly students and locals, not too pricey. Smoking and in the summer some places outside.
Free WiFi, small breakfast, rooftop terrace, laundry, sauna.
Westermann.
By train
Osnabrück is well connected as it is a railway junction. Trains on the Amsterdam-Berlin route meet here with trains on the Hamburg-Cologne route.
By car
By bus
Intercity buses from domestic and international destinations arrive at the main bus station ZOB Osnabrück, which is next to the train station.
By boat
The Mittellandkanal has a tangent running directly into Osnabrück (from Kilometer 30,4). There are no public boat services.
The city is most easily navigated by city/regional bus. The Stadwerke Osnabrück operates standard daytime as well as NachtBus (night) service on Friday and Saturday.
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