St Lambert's Church stands not far from the cathedral in the city center of Münster. It was built in the late Middle Ages as a market and citizens' church and stands at the northern end of the Prinzipalmarkt.

It is one of the few churches in Europe that employs a Türmer, or in this case a Türmerin. Except on Tuesdays, she blows her horn on the hour and half hour from 9 pm to midnight. Originally, watchmen observed the surroundings of their hometowns to warn of dangers such as fires or attackers. For Münster, a watchman was first mentioned in a document in 1383.

A special feature of the church are the three iron baskets attached to the tower (picture below). After 1536, the bodies of the three executed leaders of the so-called "Anabaptist dominion of Münster" (1534-1535) were displayed in them. This particularly radical splinter group of the so-called Anabaptists took over in Münster and expelled all Christians who did not want to be baptized again. All with a different opinion were suppressed and threatened. In the summer of 1535, the Anabaptists were defeated and executed. The display of their leaders in the baskets was meant to serve as a warning to people not to follow their example.

During National Socialism, the Bishop of Münster, Clemens August Graf von Galen (1878-1946), preached against the killing of so-called "life unworthy of life" in the Lamberti Church, among other places. The church itself was partially destroyed by air raids during World War II. Reconstruction after the end of the war lasted until 1959, during which the destroyed parts of the building were reconstructed as accurately as possible.

For more information on the Lamberti Church and other City churches, visit the website of the St. Lambert's parish (website only available in German).

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Further information:

• Visitor information watchwoman (Münster Marketing) (website only available in German)

• Blog "Türmerin von Münster" (watchwoman of Münster) (blog only available in German)

• Wikipedia article Anabaptist dominion of Münster ("Münster rebellion") (article in English)

• Wikipeda article Clemens August Graf von Galen (article in English)