Why visit Gronau
Townapedia lists 40 museums and landmarks, 30 parks and trails, 125 places to eat, 13 places to stay and 7 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Doedt's scharrelei, Tierpark der Stadt Gronau, Rock'n'Popmuseum and De Museumfabriek.
Weather in Gronau
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Gronau
Gronau (German pronunciation: [ˈɡʁoːnaʊ] ; officially Gronau (Westf.), is a town in the district of Borken in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, near the border with the Netherlands, 10 km east of Enschede. The city is divided into the districts of Gronau and Epe.
From the Wikipedia article Gronau, North Rhine-Westphalia (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photos of Gronau
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpg)
Things to do7
Doedt's scharrelei
Farm and orchard · 1.5 km
1 An der Eßseite, Gronau
Mo-Su 07:30-21:00
Museums and landmarks40
Rijksmuseum Twenthe
Museum · 8.8 km
National museum in Enschede, the Netherlands
Brasilien Museum
Museum · 6.2 km
Museum about 300 missionaires who lived in Brasil, since 1922.
11 Klosterstraße, Bad Bentheim
Briefmarkenmuseum
Museum · 6.2 km
The stamp as way to mission the christian religion.
11 Klosterstraße, Bad Bentheim
Bildstock, Klosterstraße, "Johannes Bernardus Ber Felt 1776"
Monument and historic site · Catholic · 3.2 km
Darstellung der Kreuzigung Jesu mit Maria Magdalena und zwei Engeln
28 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds30
18 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes125
Rick's Vis
Restaurant · Fish · 2.0 km
310 Hoofdstraat, Overdinkel
Tu-Th 10:00-19:00; Fr-Su 10:00-20:00
Split
Restaurant · Regional, Balkan · 1.3 km
13-15 Wiesenstraße, Gronau
Mo-Sa 17:00-22:00; Su 15:00-22:00
Labras
Restaurant · 3.3 km
1214 Gronausestraat
We-Th 16:30-22:00; Fr 16:30-00:00; Sa 16:00-00:00; Su 16:00-22:00
Oriental Gourmet
Restaurant · Chinese, Japanese, Sushi · 2.5 km
Mo-Sa 11:30-14:30, 17:30-22:00; Su,PH 11:30-22:00
Eper Wirtshaus (Tavern of Epe)
Cafe · German · 3.6 km
34 Hindenburgring, Gronau
We-Su 17:00+; Mo,Tu off
La Serre
Restaurant · Italian
1 Döhrmannplatz, Gronau
Mo-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr,Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 11:00-21:00
La Stella
Restaurant · Italian, Pizza, Pasta · 1.0 km
94 Iltisstraße, Gronau
Mo-Su 17:00-23:00
113 more on the map.
History
Documentary evidence of Gronau dates to 1365, and of district Epe to 1188.
Industrialisation took hold in Gronau with the founding of the first textile factory in 1854. Dutch investors, in particular, drove the growing textile industry. In 1875, railway lines were opened from Gronau to Münster, Dortmund, and Enschede.
With the growth of the textile industry and the founding of the Gronauer Bauverein (homebuilding) in the eastern part of the city (1893), an expansion of the settlement area began. By the time of World War I, a new town hall, the district court, the parish church of St. Antonius, schools, hospitals, an indoor swimming pool, waterworks, an electricity plant, and the city park had been built in Gronau.
On 27 December 1897, Gronau was granted town rights. In 1910, the skeleton of a Cretaceous plesiosaur was discovered and is now housed in the Geological-Paleontological Museum of Münster.
On the night of 9 to 10 November 1938, also known as "Reichspogromnacht", the synagogue in Wallstraße was desecrated in connection with the persecution of the Jewish population. Eventually, most Jews from Gronau and Epe were deported to the extermination camps. There is still a Jewish cemetery in Gronau today. In the Epe district, the former Jewish synagogue is currently being rebuilt as a cultural centre.
Read more of the history
In 1975, Gronau and the municipality of Epe were merged into the new municipality of Gronau.
The bankruptcy of the van Delden Group, founded in 1854, in 1980-1981 marked the end of the era of the textile industry in Gronau.
From the History section of Gronau, North Rhine-Westphalia on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
More about Gronau
Geography
Gronau lies in the lowlands surrounding the Dinkel, which flows from the south to the north of the town. The Gildehauser Venn lies to the northeast.
Arts and culture
Since 1989 an annual music festival, the Jazzfest Gronau, takes place in Gronau. A broad range of national and international musicians have performed at the festival, including Jan Garbarek, McCoy Tyner, Klaus Doldinger’s Passport, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Al Di Meola, Avishai Cohen, Al Jarreau, Ian Anderson, Richard Galliano, Ron Carter, Mother's Finest, Gregory Porter, Maceo Parker, Stefanie Heinzmann.
The Jazzfest is currently funded to a large extent by local and regional sponsors and enjoys a constantly growing audience. The annual number of visitors swings between 12,000 and 18,000 visitors (incl. open-air events). The share of foreign visitors is around 65%.
From the Wikipedia article Gronau, North Rhine-Westphalia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Notable people from Gronau
Udo LindenbergGerman rock musician and composerPhoto: Raimond Spekking, CC BY-SA 4.0
Jens WissingGerman association football player and managerPhoto: Thomas Rodenbücher, CC BY 2.0
Manfred MeinsenGerman politicianPhoto: Augustapfel, CC BY-SA 4.0- Josef HaringGerman priest (1940–2023)
- Tim HölscherGerman footballer
- Cengiz KoçGerman boxer
- Karlheinz BusenGerman politician
- Hans SchönrathGerman boxer (1902–1945)
- Sarah LahrkampGerman politician
- Winfried BerkemeierGerman footballer
- Rolf EckrodtGerman businessman (1942-2019)
- Gerrit E. W. Bauerphysicist at Tohoku University and Delft University of Technology
Born in Gronau, according to Wikidata (CC0). Each name links to its Wikipedia article.
Where to stay13
Churches and places of worship24
Shopping43
Gas and EV charging13
Schools, colleges and libraries21
Healthcare17
Map of Gronau
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Münster Osnabrück Airport (FMO) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 46 km away.
- Ochtrup 11 km east, about 11 min by car
- Heek 12 km southeast, about 12 min by car
- Bad Bentheim 13 km northeast, about 13 min by car
- Ahaus 15 km south, about 15 min by car
- Metelen 15 km southeast, about 15 min by car
- Schüttorf 18 km northeast, about 18 min by car
- Schöppingen 19 km southeast, about 19 min by car
- Wettringen 20 km east, about 20 min by car
- Legden 20 km south, about 20 min by car
- Steinfurt 22 km east, about 22 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Towns near Gronau
Keep exploring
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- Mapillary (see each image): photos
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- NeuesRathausGronau, Dr. Reiner Düren ( RedPiranha at de.wikipedia ), CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Gronau, Katholische Kirche Sankt Antonius Dm22 IMG 0300 2024-03-31 12.38, Michielverbeek, CC BY 4.0
- Gronau Westfalen - geo.hlipp.de - 6164, Udo und Joan Fugel on geo.hlipp.de, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Gronau, der Altmetall Wasserturm foto7 2013-04-22 16.32, Michielverbeek, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Watertower and church in Gronau, Kreis Borken, Kleuske, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Dinkel, Dinkellager, Gronau, Westfalen, Kleuske, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Julia Kautz Turbine Gronau (9), CHR!S, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Jan Stürmer Turbine Gronau, CHR!S, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Julia Kautz Turbine Gronau (7), CHR!S, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Nico Gomez & Julia Kautz Turbine Gronau, CHR!S, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Julia Kautz Turbine Gronau (6), CHR!S, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Nico Gomez Turbine Gronau (10), CHR!S, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Julia Kautz Turbine Gronau (8), CHR!S, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Nico Gomez Turbine Gronau (8), CHR!S, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Julia Kautz Turbine Gronau (10), CHR!S, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Nico Gomez Turbine Gronau (9), CHR!S, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Transparent 25 Jahre Fukushima Gronau, Tetzemann, CC0
- Bahnhof Gronau (Westf), Dre Odz, CC BY 3.0
- Kerk Gronau- Deutsland. - panoramio, Gert Schippers, CC BY 3.0
- Bücherschrank Gronau 02, Donline, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Lyonbrotherz live on stage at Hertie tanzt! in Gronau 2017, Unknown author, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Twentse Welle, Mark Ahsmann, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Enschede-Lettergieterij on Klokhuisplein built in 1871, Joh. Enschedé, Public domain
- Enschede Rijksmuseum Twenthe, Berteun Damman (I self), Public domain
- Overzicht van de voorgevel tussen de bomen door gezien - Enschede - 20427811 - RCE, Ypie Attema, CC BY-SA 4.0
- AamsveenHerfst, Pdreijnders, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Gronau artaĵo akvoturo kaj kirko St. Antonius 1, Thomas Pusch, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Epe Sankt Agathakirche, Jugelo, Public domain
- Gronau muzeo Rock’n’popmuseum 1, Thomas Pusch, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Gronau, die evangelische Stadtkirche Dm3 foto9 2013-09-28 10.06, Michielverbeek, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Werner-von-Siemens-Gymnasium in Gronau (Westf.), WvSG-Bearbeiter, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Epe evangelische Kirche, Jugelo, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Epe Sankt Georgskirche, Jugelo, Public domain
- Aamsveen, Gouwenaar, Public domain
- Twentse Welle Tower, Mark Ahsmann, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Kloster Bardel front, Alex@Eddi, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- St.-Antonius-Kirche, Gronau (Westfalen), Dominik Schäfer, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
- Aegialia (Psammoporus) sabuleti (Panzer, 1797) (5612556917), Udo Schmidt from Deutschland, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Arthrocladiella mougeotii 225878567, bjoerns, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, VIA_KK, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, poxonline, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, kgvx, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, poxonline, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, gdm, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, poxonline, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, poxonline, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, poxonline, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, ankeric, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, VIA_KK, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, gdm, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, VIA_KK, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, VIA_KK, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, poxonline, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, kgvx, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, poxonline, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, poxonline, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, gdm, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, cAble_Guy, CC BY-SA 4.0
.jpeg){kind=link}
.jpeg){kind=link}
.jpeg){kind=link}
.jpeg){kind=link}
.jpeg){kind=link}
.jpeg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
_sabuleti_(Panzer,_1797)_(5612556917).jpg){kind=link}
Page built November 9, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.