Townapedia
Haltern am See, Gänsemarkt -- 2013 -- 0202
Haltern am See, Gänsemarkt -- 2013 -- 0202 · Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0
Haltern am See, Innenstadt -- 2014 -- 8937
Haltern am See, Innenstadt -- 2014 -- 8937 · Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0
Haltern am See-Figurengruppe Musikanten
Haltern am See-Figurengruppe Musikanten · Dat doris, CC BY-SA 4.0
Haltern am See sculpture Gahlen
Haltern am See sculpture Gahlen · Arnoldius, CC BY-SA 3.0
Haltern am See Siebenteufelsturm
Haltern am See Siebenteufelsturm · Arnoldius, CC BY-SA 3.0
Haltern am See, Skulptur "Kardinal von Galen" -- 2026 -- 0770
Haltern am See, Skulptur "Kardinal von Galen" -- 2026 -- 0770 · Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0

Haltern am See, Germany

Haltern am See is a town of 38,142 people in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

Loading the weather...
Population38,142 GeoNames
Elevation53 m 174 ft
Time zoneEurope/Berlin
Land area158.3 km² 241 people per km²
Nearest airportDortmund Airport (DTM) 39 km
Advertisement

Why visit Haltern am See

Townapedia lists 151 museums and landmarks, 99 parks and trails, 135 places to eat, 22 places to stay and 44 attractions in and around town.

Highlights include Naturwildpark Granat, Feuerwachturm Rennberg, LWL-Römermuseum and Haltern.

About Haltern am See

Haltern am See (German pronunciation: [ˈhaltɐn ʔam ˈzeː], lit. 'Haltern on the lake'; before December 2001 only Haltern) is a medium-sized town in the northern part of the district of Recklinghausen in the Regierungsbezirk Münster in North Rhine-Westphalia. The town is located in the northern Ruhr area, directly bordering the Münsterland region. In terms of natural geography, it belongs to the Westmünsterland. The town is about 80 kilometres (50 mi) north of Düsseldorf.

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

Travel tips from other travellers: Haltern am See on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Photos of Haltern am See

Things to do44

Naturwildpark Granat

Zoo and aquarium · 7.4 km

626 Granatstraße, Haltern am See

Feb: Mo-Su,PH 10:00-17:30; Mar-Oct: Mo-Su,PH 10:00-18:00

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Feuerwachturm Rennberg

Scenic view · 5.4 km

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Sebbel

Farm and orchard · 5.7 km

170 Westruper Straße, Haltern am See

We-Su 09:00-18:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 2364 2293

Arentz Bauernladen

Farm and orchard · 7.7 km

117 Birkenallee, Haltern am See

Mo-Sa 09:00-18:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 2360 465

Hof Hagedorn

Farm and orchard · 4.5 km

117 Rekener Straße, Haltern am See

Fr-We 08:00-18:00; Th closed

Open in Google Maps · +49 2364 108383

Hofkäserei Andres

Farm and orchard · 2.9 km

125 Lünzumer Weg, Haltern am See

Th-Fr 16:00-19:00, Sa 10:00-13:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 2364 4967

Kemper‘s Deelenladen

Farm and orchard · 6.8 km

290 Westruper Straße, Haltern am See

Tu-Fr 09:00-12:00,14:00-18:00, Sa 09:00-14:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 2364 3382

Landhof Hawig

Farm and orchard · 6.1 km

645 Weseler Straße, Haltern am See

Sep-Oct: We-Su 10:00-18:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 2360 90087

Rennbeck fire tower

Monument and historic site · 5.4 km

Observation tower

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Hofladen Belustedde

Farm and orchard · 8.3 km

767 Dorstener Straße, Haltern am See

Mo-Fr 10:00-13:00,15:00-18:00, Sa 10:00-12:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 2360 617

Dachsberg

Scenic view · 5.7 km

Open in Google Maps

Dummberg

Scenic view · 8.0 km

Open in Google Maps

32 more on the map.

Museums and landmarks151

LWL-Römermuseum

Museum · 0.9 km

100 Weseler Straße, Haltern am See

Tu-Fr 09:00-17:00; Sa,Su,PH 10:00-18:00; Dec 24,25,31,Jan 01: off

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia · +49 2364 93760

Haltern

Monument and historic site · 0.9 km

Roman military camps in Haltern am See

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Haus Sythen

Monument and historic site · 4.4 km

25 Stockwieser Damm, Haltern am See

Open in Google Maps

Heimathaus Lippramsdorf

Monument and historic site · 7.1 km

38 Antoniusweg, Haltern am See

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Haus Ostendorf

Monument and historic site · 5.4 km

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Sythener Mühle

Monument and historic site · 4.3 km

Open in Google Maps

Caecilia Meyer

Monument and historic site

Open in Google Maps

Christophoruskapelle

Monument and historic site · Roman Catholic · 4.8 km

Inschrift Bronzeplakette: Diese Kapelle wurde von den Eheleuten Erika und Heinrich Rohlf erbaut und am Patronasfest dem 24. Juli 2005 eingeweiht.

Open in Google Maps

Annakapelle

Monument and historic site · Roman Catholic · 1.7 km

Als Baudenkmal in Haltern unter Nr. 62 eingetragen

Dorstener Straße, Haltern am See

Open in Google Maps

Krüssteen

Monument and historic site · 7.5 km

Kleines Steinkreuz, als Baudenkmal unter Nr. 39 in Haltern am See eingetragen. Dort als "sehr alt" bezeichnet, genauere Datierung nicht möglich.

Open in Google Maps

139 more on the map.

Parks, trails and playgrounds99

Ketteler Hof

Sports field and stadium · 5.4 km

234 Rekener Straße, Haltern am See

Mo-Su,PH 09:00-18:00

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Prickings-Hof

Sports field and stadium · 5.5 km

14 Niehuser Weg, Haltern am See

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Schwarzer Berg

Hiking and trails · 6.3 km

Open in Google Maps

Borkenberge

Hiking and trails · 5.7 km

Open in Google Maps

Braucksenke

Hiking and trails · 6.3 km

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Brinksknapp

Hiking and trails · 6.8 km

Open in Google Maps

Frettholz

Hiking and trails · 2.9 km

Open in Google Maps

Gagelbruch Borkenberge

Hiking and trails · 7.1 km

Open in Google Maps

Gernebachtal

Hiking and trails · 7.8 km

Open in Google Maps

87 more on the map.

Advertisement

Restaurants and cafes135

Pfeiffer's Sythener Flora

Restaurant · Regional · 4.3 km

71 Am Wehr, Haltern am See

Mo,Tu 17:00-21:00; We,Fr-Su 12:00-21:00; Th off

Open in Google Maps · +49 2364 96220

Cafe Extrablatt

Cafe · Coffee Shop

1-3 Merschstraße, Haltern am See

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

Open in Google Maps · +49 2364 5085414

Das Tannenhäuschen

Restaurant · German · 3.9 km

389 Hennewiger Weg, Haltern am See

We-Sa 17:00-22:00; Su, PH 11:00-22:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 2364 9495444

Landgasthaus Zur Freiheit

Restaurant · Regional · 5.1 km

456 Dorstener Straße, Haltern am See

Mo-Tu 17:00+; Th-Sa 17:00+; Su 11:30-14:30,17:00+

Open in Google Maps · +49 2360 702

Pizzeria Avanti

Restaurant · Pizza

15 Lippstraße, Haltern am See

Mo-Th 11:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-23:30; Su 11:00-23:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 2364 8999511

Punjab Garden

Restaurant · Indian · 4.6 km

377 Flaesheimer Straße, Haltern am See

Tu-Su, PH 11:30-14:30, 17:00-23:00; Mo off

Open in Google Maps · +49 2364 6063900

Hohe Mark West

Restaurant · German · 3.2 km

300a Lavesumer Straße, Haltern am See

24/7

Open in Google Maps · +49 2364 14954

San Marco

Restaurant · Italian, Ice Cream

31, 33 Rochfordstraße, Haltern am See

PH,Mo-Su 12:00-23:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 2364 949 8988

Arentz Bauernhofcafé

Cafe · Breakfast, Cake, German · 7.7 km

117 Birkenallee, Haltern am See

Mo-Sa 09:00-17:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 2360 465

Haus Himmelmann

Restaurant · German · 6.8 km

650 Dorstener Straße, Haltern am See

We-Sa 17:00-21:30; Su,PH 11:00-14:00,17:00-21:00

Open in Google Maps · +49236099930

Lakeside Inn

Restaurant · Burger, Breakfast, Barbecue, German · 4.2 km

291 Stockwieser Damm, Haltern am See

Fr,Sa 09:00+; Su-Th 09:00-22:30

Open in Google Maps · +49 2364 506080

Landhaus Föcker

Restaurant · German · 6.7 km

12 Lembecker Straße, Haltern am See

We-Su 09:00-22:00; Fr 17:00-22:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 2360 791

123 more on the map.

History

About one hundred flint artifacts from the late Neanderthal period were found in a dry sand pit in Haltern-Lavesum between 2009 and 2012. Cores provided evidence of the typical use of Levallois technique, a technique used to obtain flakes and blades. The site is associated with wedge knife groups (cf. Micoquia).

Artifacts from the Neolithic also come from Lavesum. These include two blades made of Rijckholt flint, i.e., from the Netherlands or the Rhine region, and a chalcedony scraper from a deposit near Bonn-Muffendorf. Not only were they transported over 100 km, but they also represent some of the earliest artifacts from the period of repopulation of the Westphalian Bay after the last Last Glacial Period.

254 flint artifacts from Bergbossendorf can be dated to the Late Glacial Interstadial. This constitutes a complete inventory that likely originates from a short stay by a hunting party.

In Haltern-Uphusen, small remains of a solitary farmstead with a granary (probably without livestock) from the Early Iron Age were excavated starting in 2015.

Read more of the history

Along the Lippe River, the Romans repeatedly moved from the west into the Westphalian hinterland and established military camps. The plan to make Germania a Roman province failed in 9 AD with the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest and finally in 16 AD with Tiberius's renunciation of the Germania east of the Rhine after the failed campaigns of Germanicus. All Lippe camps, including the one in Haltern, were abandoned. In the present-day urban area of Haltern, there were several partially fortified camps and forts, as well as a harbor on the Lippe River. The former Roman Aliso camp is believed to have been located in the Haltern Roman camp. Many finds from this period are on display in the LWL-Römermuseum in Haltern.

On February 3, 1289, what was then Halteren received lower city rights (minor city) from its sovereign, the Prince-Bishop of Münster Everhard von Diest, “quale in aliis opides nostris Coesvelt et Borken” (Latin: as in our other cities Coesfeld and Borken), and thus the right to build a city wall, of which the Seven Devils Tower (Siebenteufelsturm) is still preserved.

Like many other towns in Westphalia, Haltern was a member of the Hanseatic League from the 14th century until 1611. The activities of Haltern citizens in the Hanseatic League's trading alliance can be traced back even further. Today, Haltern is a member of the International Hanseatic League of the Modern Age and the Westphalian Hanseatic League, which sought to revive the Hanseatic League with their re-foundation in the 1980s.

During Kristallnacht (1938), the town's synagogue, Jewish cemetery and the houses and shops belonging to the town's Jews were vandalised. Jews were deported to concentration camps, the last five of whom were deported in January 1942. Only one of the town's Jews survived the Holocaust: Alexander Lebenstein, after whom a school is named.

In March 2015, the town received international attention when 16 students and two teachers from the Joseph-König-Gymnasium in Haltern, were killed in the Germanwings Flight 9525 crash in the French Alps. They were on their way home from a student exchange with the Giola Institute in Llinars del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain. Haltern's then mayor, Bodo Klimpel, described it as "the darkest day in the history of our city."

From the History section of Haltern am See on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

More about Haltern am See

Geography

Haltern am See is situated on the shores of the Halterner Stausee, which is a popular destination for swimming, boating, and hiking.

The area around the lake is characterized by green forests, rolling hills, and sprawling meadows. The town is surrounded by several nature reserves, including the Hohe Mark Nature Park, which is known for its flora and fauna. Here, visitors can hike through dense forests and spot rare birds and other wildlife.

During winter, tourists can experience traditional German Christmas markets. These markets are held in the city's historic old town.

In the summer months, Haltern am See offers visitors the opportunity to explore the rural areas of Germany. The city is surrounded by fields and rolling countryside.

The city is divided into the districts, with the associated hamlets:

Haltern-Mitte (19,771 inhabitants); with Berghaltern (formerly the Holtwick farmstead), which has grown close to the core city, in the extreme southwest.

Sythen (6,305 inhabitants); with Lehmbraken, Uphusen, and Stockwiese; the Sythener End in the extreme northeast has belonged to Hausdülmen since 1975.

From the Wikipedia article Haltern am See, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Notable people from Haltern am See

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

Where to stay22

Churches and places of worship36

Advertisement

Shopping34

Gas and EV charging14

Schools, colleges and libraries27

Advertisement

Healthcare11

Map of Haltern am See

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

Getting there and nearby towns

Dortmund Airport (DTM) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 39 km away.

  • Marl 11 km southwest, about 11 min by car
  • Dülmen 12 km northeast, about 12 min by car
  • Bahnhof Reken 12 km northwest, about 12 min by car
  • Oer-Erkenschwick 13 km southeast, about 13 min by car
  • Reken 14 km northwest, about 14 min by car
  • Recklinghausen 14 km south, about 14 min by car
  • Datteln 15 km southeast, about 15 min by car
  • Olfen 14 km east, about 14 min by car
  • Herten 17 km south, about 17 min by car
  • Dorsten 17 km southwest, about 17 min by car

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

Towns near Haltern am See

Keep exploring

Reviews, tips and questions

Loading what members have shared...

Sources and licences

Photo credits

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