Discover Hamm: Parks, culture and cycling routes
Accommodation in Hamm
Hamm brings together visible industrial history, green open spaces, religious architecture and distinctive cycling routes. In Maximilianpark, the Glass Elephant stands on the grounds of the former Maximilian colliery; in Hamm-Uentrop, the Sri Kamadchi Ampal Temple is a defining feature of the city’s cultural landscape. There are also river landscapes, water sports and activities for children. The city’s varied attractions give a stay in Hamm different focal points.
From colliery site to park
Maximilianpark was created in 1984 on the grounds of the former Maximilian colliery, on the occasion of North Rhine-Westphalia’s first State Garden Show. Its best-known structure is the Glass Elephant, the world’s largest building in the shape of an animal. From there, views from a height of 35 metres take in Maximilianpark, the city of Hamm and the surrounding area. A visit to the park and views over the city come together in one place.
Lippepark also shows how former colliery sites have been transformed: the 42-hectare site at the former Franz mine shaft was developed into an accessible urban park with special attractions. Bridges over the Lippe and the Datteln-Hamm Canal connect its different areas. The Lippeaue nature experience area offers a different focus. It covers around 195 hectares and includes a roughly five-kilometre stretch of river that has been redesigned in a near-natural way, with wet meadows, floodplain forests and small bodies of water. A landscaped urban park and a near-natural river landscape thus offer contrasting ways to experience nature.
Temple, castle and museum
The Sri Kamadchi Ampal Temple has been in Hamm since 1989 and has been located in Hamm-Uentrop since 1997. It is considered Europe’s largest purpose-built Tamil temple. Schloss Oberwerries, meanwhile, is a destination on the Lippe, in the heart of a protected landscape area. The manor house was built between 1685 and 1692. Together, these two places offer very different ways to discover Hamm through its architectural and cultural history.
Today, the Gustav LĂĽbcke Museum displays objects collected since 1886 across more than 4,000 square metres. It also regularly hosts changing exhibitions with appeal beyond the region. The annual h4 cultural festival is another highlight for a culture-focused stay: on the first weekend in September, it turns the city centre into a large creative stage. As the programme changes, check the current listings before your visit.
Explore Hamm by bike
The 32-kilometre PANORAMA ROUTE starts at the cycle station at Hamm railway station. It is marked with a white binoculars logo on a blue background and leads to Maximilianpark and the Glass Elephant. The main route of the Römer-Lippe Route also passes through Hamm and the renaturalised Lippeaue. Hamm thus brings together a route with specific destinations in the city and a cycling connection along the Lippeaue.
Water and activities for children
The water sports facility at Haarener See has a sandy beach, a large shallow-water area and two beach volleyball courts. As facilities and offerings may change, check the latest details before your visit. At Hamm Zoo, the Fable Creature Adventure World includes play activities and lovingly designed areas where children can engage in role-play suited to their age. This offers a specific activity for families, while the parks, museum and cycling routes cater to other interests.
Whether you want your stay to focus on culture, parkland, river landscapes or active days, Hamm offers a range of themes to consider when planning your trip.
Discover more destinations
Discover more destinations: Hamm, Rhynern, Wesel, Coesfeld, Krefeld, Unna, Warendorf and MĂĽnster.
Go to the overarching travel guide: North Rhine-Westphalia.
