Discover 20 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Bielefeld (Germany). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Sparrenburg, Kunsthalle Bielefeld, and Bielefelder Alm. Also, be sure to include Bielefeld Opera in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Bielefeld (North Rhine-Westphalia).
Table of Contents
Sparrenburg
Historical landmark in Bielefeld, Germany. Sparrenberg Castle, also known as the Sparrenburg, is a restored fortress in the Bielefeld-Mitte district of Bielefeld, Germany. It is situated on the Sparrenberg hill in the Teutoburg Forest and towers 60 metres above the city centre. Its current appearance mainly originated in the 16th and 19th century. The Sparrenburg is considered to be Bielefeld's landmark.[1]
Address: Am Sparrenberg, 33602 Bielefeld (Mitte)
Kunsthalle Bielefeld
Iconic 60s building and modern art museum. The Kunsthalle Bielefeld is a modern and contemporary art museum in Bielefeld, Germany. It was designed by Philip Johnson in 1968, and paid for by the businessman and art patron Rudolf August Oetker.[2]
Address: Artur-Ladebeck-Straße 5, 33602 Bielefeld (Mitte)
Bielefelder Alm
Also known as: SchücoArena
Stadium in Bielefeld, Germany. Bielefelder Alm is a football stadium in Bielefeld, Germany. The stadium, which has a capacity of 26 515, is owned by the football club DSC Arminia Bielefeld and mostly used for the club's matches. Formerly named Stadion Alm, it is currently known as SchücoArena due to a sponsorship deal with the Bielefeld-based window and solar panel manufacturers.[3]
Address: Melanchthonstraße 31A, 33615 Bielefeld (Mitte)
Bielefeld Opera
Also known as: Theater Bielefeld
Theater in Bielefeld, Germany. The Bielefeld Opera is the venue of Städtische Bühnen Bielefeld in Bielefeld, Germany. It is a Dreisparten Haus, offering plays, music, and ballet. The main performance venue is the Stadttheater am Niederwall, built in 1904 and extensively renovated from 2004 to 2006. It is the largest theater in East Westphalia, offering 500 performances annually. It is under the direction of Michael Heicks; its resident orchestra is the 72-member Bielefeld Philharmonic Orchestra that also performs symphonic concerts at the Rudolf-Oetker-Halle.[4]
Address: Niederwall 23, 33602 Bielefeld (Mitte)
Botanischer Garten Bielefeld
Botanical garden in Bielefeld, Germany. The Botanischer Garten Bielefeld is a municipal botanical garden located beside the southeast edge of the Teutoburger Wald at Am Kahlenberg 16, Bielefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is open daily without charge.
The garden was established in 1912 on one hectare. It was enlarged in 1914–1915 with the installation of the alpine garden containing about 500 different plant species, and in 1925-1927 enlarged again by a further 2.5 hectares to the west for its rhododendron collection. By 1952 it contained about 3000 species.
Today the garden contains about 2500 plant varieties. Its highlights include a rhododendron and azalea collection, alpine garden, medicinal and herb garden, heather garden, flora of the Buchenwald region, and a half-timbered house dating from 1823.[5]
Address: Am Kahlenberg 16, 33617 Bielefeld (Gadderbaum)
Deutsches Fächermuseum
The German Fan Museum is an arts and crafts museum specializing in fans located in Bielefeld in North Rhine-Westphalia. The corresponding foundation was established in 1994 by Marie-Luise and Günter Barisch. The museum was opened in 1995. It is unique in its kind in Germany and one of only three museums of its kind in the world. It is located in the old town of Bielefeld in the street Am Bach.
Address: Am Bach 19, 33602 Bielefeld (Mitte)
Natural History Museum
Also known as: Naturkunde-Museum Bielefeld
Museum in Bielefeld, Germany. The Natural History Museum in Bielefeld is a natural history museum in the city of Bielefeld in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Since 2003, it was given the additional name namu, which stands for the German words Natur, Mensch, and Umwelt. The exhibitions take place in the Spiegelshof, a historical building from the 14th century.[6]
Bauernhausmuseum
Museum
Address: Dornberger Straße 82, Bielefeld (Gadderbaum)
Dr. Oetker Welt
Museum, Specialty museum, Entertainment
Address: Lutterstraße 14, 33617 Bielefeld (Mitte)
Bielefelder Kunstverein
Museum
Address: Welle 61, 33602 Bielefeld (Mitte)
Obersee
Obersee is an artificial reservoir in the Schildesche district of Bielefeld. With a size of about 20 ha, it is the largest body of water in Bielefeld.
Heimat-Tierpark Olderdissen
Heimat-Tierpark Olderdissen is a municipal zoo in Bielefeld. On about 16 hectares, 90 different species with over 450 individuals can be observed. The park is operated by the city's Umweltbetrieb, which provides a special feature of year-round opening with free admission. The park focuses on the presentation, care and conservation of native species.
Address: Dornberger Str. 149A, 33619 Bielefeld (Gadderbaum)
Altstädter Nicolaikirche
The Altstädter Nicolaikirche is the oldest church in the original urban area of Bielefeld. It is the church of the Evangelical Lutheran Altstädter Nicolaikirchengemeinde. The church is named after Nicholas of Myra. It is located in the city district of Mitte.
Address: Altstädter Kirchstraße 1, 33602 Bielefeld (Mitte)
Zionskirche
Zionskirche in the Bielefeld district of Gadderbaum is an Evangelical Lutheran parish church. It belongs to the Bielefeld church district of the Evangelical Church of Westphalia.
The church has a cruciform ground plan and was built between 1883 and 1884 as a simple brick church in the neo-Romanesque Prussian round arch style. It can accommodate about 1,600 worshippers. Next to the apse are two bell towers, built with the help of a donation from South Africa.
Address: Am Zionswald 6, 33617 Bielefeld (Gadderbaum)
Süsterkirche
The Süster Church of the former Augustinian convent of Mariental is today the parish church of the Protestant Reformed congregation in the eastern Westphalian city of Bielefeld. It is located in the northern part of the old town on the Süsterplatz of the same name and thus in the city district of Mitte.
Address: 22 Güsenstraße, Bielefeld (Mitte)
Church of the Holy Cross
The Kreuzkirche in the Bielefeld borough of Sennestadt is an Evangelical Lutheran parish church. It is located in the immediate vicinity of the Sennestadthaus on the B68. The church is an architectural monument.
Address: 198 Paderborner Straße, Bielefeld (Sennestadt)
Marienkirche Jöllenbeck
St. Mary's Church Jöllenbeck is one of the three parish churches in the united Evangelical Lutheran Reconciliation Church Parish of Jöllenbeck in the Bielefeld district and borough of Jöllenbeck. Today's "new" Marienkirche, built in 1854, replaces its medieval predecessor, which was demolished in 1877. It is a listed building and has the status of a patronage church under the old state church law.
As part of the "Reliably Open Church" initiative, St. Mary's Church is regularly open to visitors for viewing, contemplation and meditation.
Address: Eickumer Straße 19, Bielefeld (Jöllenbeck)
Epiphaniaskirche Vilsendorf
Epiphany Church is one of the three parish churches in the united Evangelical Lutheran Reconciliation Church Parish of Jöllenbeck in the Bielefeld district and borough of Jöllenbeck. It is named after Epiphany. The modern sacred building, consecrated in 1963, is visible from afar by its steeple in the shape of a cross and can be assigned to the architectural style of Brutalism.
Address: 230 Vilsendorfer Straße, Bielefeld (Jöllenbeck)
Brunnen am Alten Markt
Theater, Concerts and shows, Fountain
Address: Alter Markt 1, 33602 Bielefeld (Mitte)
Synagoge Beit Tikwa
The Jewish Community of Bielefeld is a religious community founded in 1705 in Bielefeld, whose beginnings can be found in the 14th century. Today, as the Jewish Religious Community of Bielefeld, it is a member of the State Association of Jewish Communities of Westphalia-Lippe. It has also joined the Union of Progressive Jews in Germany.
Address: 107 Detmolder Straße, Bielefeld (Mitte)