Green areas along the Promenade
(Sources of information: Wikipedia [Münster - Parks and green spaces, Aegidii-Schanze, Engelenschanze, Kreuzschanze, Coerdeplatz, Hörsterplatz], Wikimedia Commons Hörsterplatz) (Sources in German)
Along the Promenade are numerous green areas, which, like the Promenade itself, were formerly fortifications. After the dismantling of the former defensive walls, these were transformed.
Below you can learn more about the most famous sites.
Aegidiischanze
The Aegidiischanze is located on the southwestern edge of the city center of Münster and is only a few meters away from today's Lake Aasee. As part of the former city fortifications, it served as a fortification of the then Aegidii gate. When the entire defensive wall was dismantled in 1770, the cannon moat remained as part of the redoubt. In the late 19th century, the complex was then transformed into a green area.
Creator: STBR / Source: Wikimedia Commons /
License: CC BY-SA 3.0 (image here has been edited)
Engelenschanze
The Engelenschanze is also located in the southwest of the city center. It has its origin in a redoubt of the city fortification surrounded by water ditches. After it was demolished in 1776, it went to Johann Joseph Engelen, who had a manor house with gardens built there from 1781. The present name of the complex goes back to him, but his house was destroyed in the Second World War. After that, the total area decreased due to the development of traffic routes. At the beginning of the 1960s, the remaining area was transformed into today's municipal green area.
Creator: STBR / Source: Wikimedia Commons /
License: CC BY-SA 3.0 (Image here has been edited)
own picture / License: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Kreuzschanze
The Kreuzschanze is located on the northern edge of the city center at the former Kreuztor. It is the only fortification that is still completely preserved. Originally, it was additionally protected by a water ditch, of which two small ponds remain today. On the southeastern edge of the complex there is the Buddenturm, it is the last preserved tower of the former city fortification. The transformation into the present green area happened only in the late 19th century. Today you can see numerous monuments at the Kreuzschanze, erected in honor of famous artists and scholars of the city. These include Annette von Droste-Hülshoff, Julius Otto Grimm and Bernard Altum.
Creator: STBR / Source: Wikimedia Commons /
License: CC BY-SA 3.0 (image here has been edited)
Coerdeplatz
The Coerdeplatz is located in the so-called "Kreuzviertel" in the northeast of the Promenade, not far from the Zwinger. Originally there was the Neubrückentor with fortification and redoubt. These were demolished in the 19th century and the area was partly built on with houses, partly transformed into the present green area.
Coerdeplatz is also home to the oldest playground in the city, which was mentioned as early as 1904.
Hörsterplatz
The Hörsterplatz is located directly on the Promenade on the northeastern edge of Münster's old town. It is located on the site of the former Hörstertor of the former city fortifications. Today's green area was not built until 1882, more than 100 years after the fortifications were dismantled in 1770. Since 1930, the so-called "Adlerdenkmal", which reminds of fallen soldiers of the First World War, has been located in the middle of the square.