Welcome to Warendorf!
In Warendorf, THE GOOD LIFE awaits you with a colourful cultural programme and many leisure activities in nature. Warendorf is known as the city of horses, especially for horse lovers from all over the world. Well-known institutions such as the state stud are at home here. The almost 40,000 inhabitants live in five districts of different sizes.
The pretty district town east of Münster
Warendorf is the county seat of the district named after it and lies about 40 minutes by car east of Münster. It takes about 45 minutes to get to Bielefeld and about 50 minutes to Osnabrück .
Regional trains run to Münster and Bielefeld from Warendorf railway station and the Einen-Müssingen stop. There are also several airports nearby: Münster/Osnabrück Airport (FMO) is a good half-hour's drive away, Paderborn/Lippstadt Airport a good hour.
Tip: Münsterland is a cycling region! 4,500 kilometres of cycle paths offer you almost unlimited possibilities in the city and in the countryside: you can commute to work comfortably by bike and go on great tours with friends and family.
Living in Warendorf
The heart of Warendorf is the historic old town: around the market square and the old town hall, you can stroll through medieval streets and alleyways, browse in small shops and enjoy the diverse gastronomy.
Most of the almost 40,000 inhabitants live in the residential areas that surround the town centre to the north and south of the Ems. Four other districts also belong to Warendorf: Milte is located in the far north with just under 2,000 inhabitants, while just under 2,500 people live in the north-western district of Einen-Müssingen. The second largest district, Freckenhorst (around 7500 inhabitants), adjoins the town centre to the south, while Hoetmar with a good 2000 inhabitants lies even further south.
Even though rental and purchase prices are following the general property trend overall, there are still numerous niches to be discovered in Münsterland when it comes to building, buying or renting. Here you can find the average purchase and rental prices for a house or flat in rural Münsterland.
On the website of the city of Warendorf you will find the current rent index and information on urban development areas and building plots.
Did you know...?!
If a Warendorfer offers you "Pferdeleckerli" (horse treats) or even "Pferdeäppel" (horse pellets), you should definitely go for it: Both are special praline varieties that are produced and sold exclusively in Warendorf and remind us of the importance of the noble animals for the town.
Shopping in Warendorf
In the pedestrian zone in the old town you can stroll extensively and browse, for example, in decoration and gift shops, bookshops and shoe shops. As in many towns in Münsterland, Warendorf has fashion shops with well-known brands as well as small, individual boutiques and concept stores with a special range of products. And of course you can get lots of accessories and new bicycles or e-bikes in specialist bicycle shops.
You can buy groceries in Warendorf and Freckenhorst in various supermarkets and in both districts also at the weekly market .
Childcare and schools in Warendorf
The 24 or so kindergartens and day-care centres are spread over all parts of Warendorf, so that the youngest residents are well looked after everywhere. Here you can find information about additional playgroups and the day care services.
The education on offer in the district town ranges from the first day of school to the Abitur and vocational training:
- Seven primary schools (at least one in each district).
- Two special schools (focusing on language and learning as well as mental development)
- One secondary school
- One comprehensive school
- Two grammar schools
- One vocational college
Working in Warendorf
The business location of Warendorf is primarily characterised by medium-sized companies, which make up the majority of the total of around 1,000 companies. The service sector also plays an important role: about half of the 14,000 employees subject to social insurance contributions work in this industry. The large companies in the town include "Warendorfer Küchen GmbH", which emerged from a former Miele site and is now owned by an American investor, and a Miele plastics plant. In addition, the company and logistics headquarters of the sanitary supplier Sanitop-Wingenroth and the wood and paint manufacturer Osmo are located in Warendorf. The hospital in Warendorf - the Josephs Hospital - is an academic teaching hospital of the University of Münster.
Our tips: Leisure, sport and culture in Warendorf
- Cycle tour on the 100-Schlösser-Route or the EmsRadweg
- Sports at one of the many sports clubs
- Golf club
- Riding in the riding clubs
- Indoor and outdoor swimming pools
- Skate park
- Beach volleyball facilities
- Surfing on the Kottrup lake
- Canoe tours on the Ems
- Balloon ride
- Events at the NRW state stud
- Traditional "fat market" with funfair and horse market
- Acting, music and comedy in the theatre on the Wall
- Freckenhorst summer concerts at Westerholt Castle
- Cinema (Scala Filmtheater)
- City trip to Münster or Osnabrück
- Excursion to the All Saints' Fair or the Christmas market in Soest (one hour)
- You can also find more information at Welcome Service of the District of Warendorf
The MünsterlandBlog
During the guided tour of the North Rhine-Westphalian State Stud in Warendorf, the group learned a lot about the horses and historic stables.© Münsterland e.V.
Warendorf is the horse metropolis of the republic! And for all horse enthusiasts, a visit to the North Rhine-Westphalian State Stud in Warendorf is worthwhile. Our colleague Victoria joined a group of Münsterland newcomers who were given a guided tour of the state stud as part of a welcome event . Find out what they learned about the 100 horses and historic stables on the MünsterlandBlog.
Listen in! Podcast "So oder so" | The Westphalian State Stud in Warendorf
"SO OR SO - your Münsterland". With this podcast from Germany's most beautiful region, you will experience an acoustic insight into the North Rhine-Westphalian State Stud in the horse capital of Warendorf. It is the centre of NRW when it comes to breeding and equestrian sport. 100 horses are housed here in the historic stables. The 80 employees take care of their daily well-being. Trainees also share the fascination for horses here. Come along and find out more about their daily routine in 15 minutes and learn a lot of interesting facts about the Warendorf State Stud:
