Discover Telgte: Pilgrimage History and Routes along the Ems

Telgte combines a long pilgrimage tradition with art in the old town and routes through the countryside. Its history dates back to the 13th century; circular trails lead through Emsauenpark, and canoe tours start in Telgte. When planning your trip, you can therefore choose different focuses: historic sites and religious culture, a walk through the old town, or time by the Ems.

Pilgrimage History and RELíGIO

Telgte was a pilgrimage destination dedicated to the Holy Cross as early as the 13th century. An indulgence letter from the year 1300 bears witness to this early tradition. Even today, around fifty major pilgrimages set out each year from parishes in the Diocese of Münster to visit Our Lady of Sorrows in Telgte. The Baroque pilgrimage chapel houses Telgte’s miraculous image: the poplar-wood figure was created around 1370.

Another remarkable testament to religious culture is the Telgte Lenten cloth, dating from the early 17th century. It is considered the best-preserved Lenten cloth in the region. Its 33 picture panels depict the Passion, symbols of the four Evangelists, the Lamb of God and five scenes from the Old Testament. At RELíGIO, the Westphalian Museum of Religious Culture at Herrenstraße 1–2, the cloth is on permanent display in a specially designed exhibition room. The chapel and museum represent different ways of engaging with Telgte’s religious history: as a pilgrimage site and as the subject of a museum collection.

Old-Town Routes, Art and Tradition

The market square and Kapellenstraße lie at the heart of Telgte’s old town and are popular with visitors and locals alike. The Telgte Listening Tour also starts there. The route, around 1.2 kilometres long, passes Telgte’s sights and offers a manageable way to explore the town on foot. The Kulturspur (Culture Trail) offers another way to find your bearings: red paving stones lead through picturesque corners and streets.

Public art also features along the route. Ten sculptures in bronze and sandstone by Professor Jörg Heydemann are spread throughout the old town. Between the Ems and the old town lies the Place of Silence, a Stations of the Cross artistically designed in the 1970s by sculptor Heinrich Gerhard Bücker from Vellern. To explore Telgte by theme, you can choose from several guided town walks offered by Tourismus + Kultur, each with a different focus. The Mariä-Geburts-Markt, held since 1616, is still going strong today and adds a lively market tradition to the historic impressions.

Emsauenpark and Canoe Tours

For a different kind of day out, consider Emsauenpark. It is located in the Emsaue nature reserve. Circular trails in the park invite you to take a walk and get to know the natural surroundings. The old town and Emsauenpark offer different ways to experience Telgte: one through art, history and historic sites, the other along routes through nature.

Canoeing is another activity on offer. The stretch from Telgte towards Münster-Handorf or Gelmer is suitable for trying out canoeing. The Tom Sawyer canoe tour starts at Westbeverner Straße (WAF 10), goes to Benediktshof in Münster-Handorf (MS 1) and takes around two and a half hours. If you’re looking for accommodation in Telgte, you can plan your trip around whether you’d like to focus on discovering the pilgrimage history and old-town sites or set aside time for routes and activities by the Ems. Check the latest booking details for guided walks and canoe tours.

Discover more destinations: Wadersloh, Ahlen, Oelde, Sendenhorst, Beelen, Everswinkel, Drensteinfurt, Ostbevern.

Go to the main travel overview: Warendorf.