Discover Ahlen: Mining History, Art and Literature

In Ahlen, you can explore different facets of the city’s history: the former Westfalen coal mine, art and museums, historic buildings and literary traces. There are also specific ways to explore together with children. Two activity trails use questions to guide visitors around different locations and are aimed at different groups.

Industrial Heritage and Activity Trails

The Ahlen water tower was built between 1915 and 1917. It originally served the water supply for the Westfalen coal mine and the miners’ settlement. Its history therefore also tells of the infrastructure that supplied the mine and the settlement.

The site of the former Westfalen coal mine in Ahlen is a destination for a day out, with a playground, sports facilities, green spaces and a spoil tip. A range of activities can be found side by side here: play, exercise and green spaces are all part of the site, along with its history as a mining location. The mining trail takes visitors around the site with a questionnaire. The mole Koslowski accompanies primary school pupils and other interested visitors.

The Ahlen city trail has a different focus: children discover the historic city centre by answering questions. The tour is designed to take two hours and is primarily suitable for children aged eight to eleven. When comparing the trails, their locations and target groups are useful points of reference: the mining trail focuses on the former mine site, while the city trail leads through the city centre and specifies an age group and a time frame.

Art and the History of Ahlen

The Ahlen Art Museum presents five changing exhibitions each year, featuring works of classical modernism and more recent contemporary art. Its range therefore extends from modern art to contemporary perspectives. If you are planning a museum visit, check the current opening times and details of the Sunday tours in advance.

The Ahlen Local History Museum focuses on other periods: exhibits include Stone Age finds from the Ahlen area, early settlement traces and medieval urban structures. The development of industrialisation in Ahlen is also among its themes. The museum is currently open only during special exhibition periods, so plan your visit around these dates.

Another historic building is Peters’scher Hof in Ahlen’s old town. This four-post house dates from the 16th century and bears witness to the Münsterland farming community culture. St. Mary’s Church in Ahlen was founded in the 13th century. Together, these places offer different perspectives on the city’s history from the collections and exhibition themes of the museums.

Augustin Wibbelt and Vorhelm

The local poet Augustin Wibbelt wrote poems and stories in both Low German and Standard German. His birthplace is a landmark in Vorhelm, a district of Ahlen. Along the Wibbelt Loop in Vorhelm, six stones bear sayings from his works; sculptures commemorate the poet and his writing. You can encounter traces of his literary work in different forms: through the languages he wrote in, his birthplace and the markers along the loop.

When planning your trip, it is also worth considering the museums’ different visiting arrangements: the Local History Museum is open only during special exhibition periods, while the Art Museum presents five changing exhibitions each year. Check the current dates if a museum visit is one of your firm plans.

Discover more destinations: Wadersloh, Telgte, Everswinkel, Sendenhorst, Drensteinfurt, Beckum, Oelde, Beelen.

Back to the overview of the wider region: Warendorf.