As the northernmost settlement in Münster's urban area, Sprakel is also one of the smallest. But despite its peripheral location, this district is an attractive place to live with beautiful rural surroundings and many active clubs. From the local history society to sports clubs, there is a lot to do. And in Sprakel, carnival is celebrated in a particularly big way: The parade of the Sprakeler Narren is the first parade in Münster and attracts thousands of spectators. Nature lovers will be interested in the nearby Rieselfelder, which is a recognized reserve for waterfowls (picture above).

The roots of Sprakel lie in the farming community of the same name, which was first mentioned in a document in 1032 as "Spraclo" or "Sprankonlo." The names denote dense undergrowth, which was probably a reference to the heavily forested landscape at that time. In addition to agriculture, the inhabitants also ran forest tree nurseries.

Sprakel remained so agricultural for a long time, only at the end of the 19th century there was a change. At that time the village got a railroad stop at the railroad line Münster - Rheine, which was built at that time. This made it possible for the people there to build up an existence outside agriculture. Thus, besides farms, there were more and more workers' houses, which increased the population over time. In the meantime, Sprakel has about 3,000 inhabitants.

 

There is more about Sprakel on the district website on the website of the city of Münster (website only available in German).

​

​

You can find out more about the Rieselfelder on this website at Münster Sights.