Townapedia
Wallanlagen blick recklinghauser tor
Wallanlagen blick recklinghauser tor · Marco.Finke, Public domain
Stolpersteinlage Dorsten Wiesenstraße 14-16
Stolpersteinlage Dorsten Wiesenstraße 14-16 · Gmbo 2013, CC0
Stolpersteine Dorsten Wiesenstraße 14-16
Stolpersteine Dorsten Wiesenstraße 14-16 · Gmbo 2013, CC0
Stolperstein Dorsten Wiesenstraße 14-16 Judis Metzger
Stolperstein Dorsten Wiesenstraße 14-16 Judis Metzger · Gmbo 2013, CC0
Stolperstein Dorsten Wiesenstraße 14-16 Mathilde Metzger
Stolperstein Dorsten Wiesenstraße 14-16 Mathilde Metzger · Gmbo 2013, CC0
Stolperstein Dorsten Wiesenstraße 14-16 Julius Metzger
Stolperstein Dorsten Wiesenstraße 14-16 Julius Metzger · Gmbo 2013, CC0

Dorsten, Germany

Dorsten is a town of 79,981 people in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

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Population79,981 GeoNames
Elevation33 m 108 ft
Time zoneEurope/Berlin
Land area171.2 km² 467 people per km²
Nearest airportFlughafen Essen-Mülheim (ESS) 29 km
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Why visit Dorsten

Townapedia lists 162 museums and landmarks, 50 parks and trails, 172 places to eat, 19 places to stay and 24 attractions in and around town.

Highlights include Schloss Beck, Forellenzentrum Naroda, Tüshausmühle and Jüdisches Museum Westfalen.

About Dorsten

Dorsten (German pronunciation: [ˈdɔʁstn̩] ; Westphalian: Dössen) is a town in the Recklinghausen district of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Dorsten has a population of about 75,000.

From the Wikipedia article Dorsten (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photos of Dorsten

Things to do24

Schloss Beck

Monument and historic site · 5.5 km

Château

39 Am Dornbusch, Bottrop

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Forellenzentrum Naroda

Farm and orchard · Fish · 6.8 km

Selbst gezüchteten und frischen Regenbogen- und Lachsforellen, geräucherte Aale, Matjes und Bratlinge.

2 Zum Gahlener Grind, Schermbeck

Nov-Feb: Mo-Su 07:00-17:30; Mar-Oct: Mo-Su 07:00-18:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 2853 3278

Imkerei Unterberg

Farm and orchard · 6.6 km

Honig

42 Bruchstraße, Schermbeck

"nach Vereinbarung"

Open in Google Maps · +49 2853 2712

Bauer Aldenhoff

Farm and orchard · 2.6 km

32 Brauckweg, Dorsten

Mo-Fr 09:00-18:00; Sa 09:00-14:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 2362 71094

Naturkostladen Bioland-Hof Deiters

Farm and orchard · 6.4 km

12 Buschhausener Weg, Schermbeck

Mo-Fr 10:00-18:30; Sa 10:00-13:00; PH off

Open in Google Maps · +49 2853 3556

Spargelhof Kemna

Farm and orchard · 5.9 km

30 Orthöve, Dorsten

Apr-Jun: Mo-Su 09:00-19:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 2362 71157

Bauernhof Maaßen

Farm and orchard · 6.9 km

205 Hackfurthstraße, Bottrop

Open in Google Maps · +49 2045 82489

Hof Brune

Farm and orchard · 5.6 km

99a Oberscholvener Straße, Gelsenkirchen

Open in Google Maps · +49 209 31998850

Hof Vortmann

Farm and orchard · 5.5 km

17 Altendorfer Straße, Dorsten

Sep-Mar: We-Fr 09:00-18:00; Sa 09:00-14:00; Apr-Aug: Mo-Su 09:00-18:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 2365 56992

Landfleischerei Overgünne

Farm and orchard · 6.5 km

10 Lippweg

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Stadtkrone

Scenic view · 0.9 km

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Niederhageböck Geflügelhof

Farm and orchard · 5.8 km

257 Weseler Straße, Dorsten

Open in Google Maps · +49 2369 8734

12 more on the map.

Museums and landmarks162

Tüshausmühle

Monument and historic site · 5.0 km

Technisches Kulturdenkmal

432 Weseler Straße, Dorsten

"nur nach Vereinbarung"

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Jüdisches Museum Westfalen

Museum

1 Julius-Ambrunn-Straße, Dorsten

Tu-Fr 10:00-12:30,14:00-17:00; Sa,Su,PH 14:00-17:00

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia · +49 2362 45279

Fußboden Service Rohlof

Monument and historic site · 3.9 km

204 Hellweg, Dorsten

Mo-Fr 08:00-13:00, 15:00-18:00; Sa 09:00-13:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 2362 776579

Altes Rathaus

Monument and historic site

1 Markt, Dorsten

Open in Google Maps · +49 2362 204211

Bahnhof Dorsten

Monument and historic site

1 Johannes-Rau-Platz, Dorsten

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Jüdischer Friedhof Hasselbecke

Cemetery · 1.4 km

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ehemalige Kaue & Lohnhalle

Monument and historic site · 1.6 km

Verwaltungs- und Kauengebäude

1 Fürst-Leopold-Platz, Dorsten

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Maschinenhalle Fürst Leopold Schacht 2

Monument and historic site · 1.8 km

Fördermaschinengebäude

4 Fürst-Leopold-Platz, Dorsten

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The Bandit

Monument and historic site · 4.2 km

Holzachterbahn im Movie Park

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Van Helsings Factory

Monument and historic site · 4.4 km

Attraktion im Movie Park

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Area 51 - Top Secret

Monument and historic site · 4.4 km

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Brotmanns Höhle

Monument and historic site · 5.6 km

Benannt nach einem jungen Mann, der von 1865 bis 1875 in der Höhle lebte und für einfache Dienste bei den Bauern in der Umgebung Brot...

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150 more on the map.

Parks, trails and playgrounds50

Movie Park Germany

Sports field and stadium · 4.4 km

Theme park in Bottrop, Germany

1 Warner-Allee, Bottrop

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Freizeitpark Schloss Beck

Sports field and stadium · 5.4 km

39 Am Dornbusch, Bottrop

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Breiker Höfe

Hiking and trails · 6.9 km

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Rüden Heide

Hiking and trails · 6.9 km

Open in Google Maps

Eissporthalle

Sports field and stadium

10-12 Crawleystraße, Dorsten

We 15:00-22:00; Th 15:00-18:00; Fr 14:00-19:00, 20:00-23:00; Sa...

Open in Google Maps · +49 2362 27682

Atlantis

Sports field and stadium · 0.6 km

1 Konrad-Adenauer-Platz, Dorsten

Mo 10:00-21:30; Tu-Th 08:00-21:30; Fr 08:00-23:00; Sa 10:00-23:00;...

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Auf der Kämpe

Hiking and trails · 6.4 km

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Postwegmoore

Hiking and trails · 4.4 km

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

38 more on the map.

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Restaurants and cafes172

Jägerhof Einhaus

Restaurant · German · 4.1 km

3 Dorfstraße, Dorsten

Mo-Fr 16:00+; Sa-Su 11:00+

Open in Google Maps · +49 2362 71089

Das kleine Landhotel - Wirtshaus Durstine

Restaurant · German · 3.8 km

127 Söltener Landweg, Dorsten

Tu-Sa 17:30-21:00; Su,PH 12:00-20:00; Mo off

Open in Google Maps · +49 2362 94690

Haus Gloe

Restaurant · Regional, Balkan, Barbecue · 4.8 km

333 Am Kanal, Marl

We-Mo 12:00-22:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 2365 62284

Road Camp

Restaurant · American, Burger · 5.6 km

3 Neckarstraße, Marl

Mo-Fr 07:00-10:00,16:00-22:00; Sa-Su 08:00-23:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 2365 9743773

Cafe Extrablatt

Cafe · Coffee Shop

13 Markt, Dorsten

Mo-Sa 08:30-24:00; Su,PH 09:30-24:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 2362 403240

Eddiavolo

Restaurant · Italian · 1.5 km

95 Klosterstraße, Dorsten

Tu-Fr 12:00-14:00,17:00-22:30; Sa-Su 15:00-23:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 2362 9997222

El Capitan

Restaurant · Spanish · 6.4 km

71 Kirchstraße, Schermbeck

Mo-We 15:30-22:00; Sa 09:00-23:45; Su 09:00-22:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 2853 7309916

Factory

Diner · American · 1.7 km

1 Fürst-Leopold-Platz, Dorsten

Mo-Fr 17:00+; Sa 14:00+; Su 09:30+

Open in Google Maps · +49 2362 9985357

Hotel Albert

Restaurant · International · 2.7 km

199 Borkener Straße, Dorsten

Mo-Th 18:30-21:00; Su,PH 12:00-14:30

Open in Google Maps · +49 2362 94790

Bei Yasemin

Restaurant · Kebab · 1.4 km

86 Halterner Straße, Dorsten

Mo-Su 12:00-24:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 2362 98037

DALI Dorsten

Restaurant · International, Mediterranean · 1.7 km

1 Fürst-Leopold-Platz, Dorsten

We-Su 17:30+; Mo,Tu off

Open in Google Maps · +49 2362 9976299

Da Fabio

Restaurant · Italian · 1.0 km

17b Halterner Straße, Dorsten

Mo-Fr 11:30-14:30,17:30-23:30; We off; Sa 17:30-23:30

Open in Google Maps · +49 2362 952424

160 more on the map.

History

Archaeological findings show that the area was already populated during the Neolithic and Bronze Ages, from about 4000 BC onwards. The Romans established a military camp in Dorsten-Holsterhausen in 11 BC and Varus passed through it in 9 BC on his way to the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest.

From around 700 AD onwards, the Archbishopric of Cologne began to evangelise the area around Dorsten. Archbishop Konrad von Hochstaden, together with the Count of Cleves, granted Dorsten the city rights in 1251. Due to its economically favourable position on the river Lippe, the town became a member of the Hanseatic League of international trading cities and turned into the richest town in the Vest Recklinghausen.

Read more of the history

In 1488, Franciscan friars established a friary which continues to exist today as the world's oldest permanently existing cloister of this order. The monks founded Gymnasium Petrinum in 1642 and in 1699 the Ursulines set up a cloister including a boarding school for girls. However, the Thirty Years' War (1618–48), the Hessian War and the continuous occupation by various forces badly derogated Dorsten's medieval wealth. On 9 February 1633, Hesse-Cassel captured the town of Dorsten without resistance from the Electorate of Cologne and the Vest of Recklinghausen and, in the years that followed, it was turned into the strongest fortress in the region. As a result, attempts were made to recapture it. The first siege in 1636 was unsuccessful, but in 1641, a second Siege of Dorsten resulted in considerable destruction of the town and the eventual surrender of the garrison.

It was only during the Industrial Revolution of the nineteenth century that Dorsten returned to its former prosperity. Spinning, weaving and metal casting industries found their way into town and in 1912, the first coal mine opened. Between 1929 and 1975, surrounding villages became districts of the gradually enlarging town of Dorsten. Only a few days before the end of the Second World War, the historical old town was almost completely destroyed in an Allied air raid. 319 people died in the air raids on Dorsten and 700 families were made homeless. However, after 1945, the town's centre was rebuilt on its historical foundations and thus still resembles its medieval shape today.

Dorsten is widely known today for its Jewish Museum of Westphalia which was established in 1987. In 2001, the last coal mine closed and the town celebrated its 750th jubilee with a festival in the old town.

From the History section of Dorsten on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Notable people from Dorsten

Born in Dorsten, according to Wikidata (CC0). Each name links to its Wikipedia article.

Where to stay19

Churches and places of worship34

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Shopping50

Gas and EV charging26

Schools, colleges and libraries22

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Healthcare14

Map of Dorsten

250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.

Getting there and nearby towns

Flughafen Essen-Mülheim (ESS) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 29 km away.

Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.

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Page built November 9, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.