Why visit Meppen
Townapedia lists 68 museums and landmarks, 180 parks and trails, 117 places to eat, 21 places to stay and 13 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Emsländische Freilichtbühne Meppen, Hofladen Kulinarisches Hasetal, Emsland Moormuseum and JAM - Jugend und Kulturzentrum.
Weather in Meppen
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Meppen
Meppen (German pronunciation: [ˈmɛpm̩] ; Northern Low Saxon: Möppen) is a town in and the seat of the Emsland district of Lower Saxony, Germany, at the confluence of the Ems, Hase, and Nordradde rivers and the Dortmund–Ems Canal (DEK). The name stems from the word Mappe, meaning "delta".
From the Wikipedia article Meppen (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photos of Meppen
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Things to do13
Hofladen Kulinarisches Hasetal
Farm and orchard · 9.9 km
15 Tönjesstraße, Haselünne
Fr 09:00-18:00; Sa 09:00-13:00
1 more on the map.
Museums and landmarks68
JAM - Jugend und Kulturzentrum
Museum
3 An der Bleiche
Mo-Th 14:00-19:00; Fr 14:00-21:00; Mo-Fr 08:00-12:30 open "nur Büro"
Emsland Archäologie Museum
Museum · 1.1 km
19a An der Koppelschleuse, Meppen
Tu-Sa 14:00-18:00; Su 11:00-18:00; Mo off
Stadtmuseum Meppen
Museum · 1.1 km
19A An der Koppelschleuse, Meppen
Tu-Sa 14:00-18:00; Su 11:00-18:00
Exhibition Centre for the Archaeology of the Emsland
Museum · 1.0 km
Museum in Germany
Großsteingrab
Monument and historic site · 11.1 km
Megalithische Grabanlage der jungsteinzeitlichen Trichterbecherkultur
56 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds180
168 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes117
Hotel und Restaurant "Zur Krone"
Restaurant · German · 10.3 km
106 Osterbrocker Straße, Geeste
Sa-Th 08:00-14:00,17:00+
Hotel von Euch
Restaurant · International
21-25 Kuhstraße, Meppen
Mo-Fr 06:30-10:30, 11:30-14:00, 17:30-22:00; Sa 07:00-11:00,...
Knotenpunkt
Restaurant · Regional · 5.4 km
21 Hemsener Straße, Meppen
Tu-Th 17:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 17:00-23:00; Su 08:30-12:30; Mo off
Landhaus Eppe
Restaurant · Regional · 5.0 km
11 Teglinger Hauptstraße, Meppen
We-Fr 17:00-21:00; Sa 11:30-14:00,17:00-21:00; Su...
Biener Landbäckerei Wintering
Bakery · 1.6 km
113 Esterfelder Stiege, Meppen
Mo-Sa 06:00-20:00; Su 08:00-17:00
Bootshaus
Restaurant · Regional
22 Widukindstraße, Meppen
We-Th 09:00-18:00; Fr-Sa 17:00-00:00; Su 17:00-22:00
Da Vito
Restaurant · Italian
5 Nagelshof, Meppen
Mo-Sa 12:00-14:30, 18:00-23:30; Su, PH 12:00-14:30, 17:30-23:00
Mongolisches Restaurant "Schomaker"
Restaurant · Asian · 4.7 km
6 Zum Paradies, Meppen
Tu-Th 17:00-22:30; Fr-Sa 17:00-23:30; Su,PH 11:30-14:30,17:00-22:30
Biener Landbäckerei Wintering
Bakery · 8.3 km
2 Ludgeristraße, Geeste
Mo-Sa 05:30-19:00; Su 07:30-10:30
105 more on the map.
History
Meppen, formerly a fortified town, boasts 12 centuries of history. The first documented mention of Meppen dates from 834, in a deed of donation by Frankish emperor Louis the Pious, transferring a missionary establishment of that name to the abbey of Corvey.
Emperor Otto the Great granted the settlement coin minting and toll rights in 945, followed by market rights in 946.
In 1252, Countess Jutta von Vechta-Ravensberg sold her possessions to the Bishop of Münster, incorporating Meppen into the Lower Prince-Bishopric of Münster (Niederstift Münster) Bishop Adolf granted town rights and permission to construct fortifications in 1360. These fortifications were built up over three centuries until 1660, before being demolished in the Seven Years War.
Following the Reichsdeputationshauptschluss of 1803, Meppen became the capital of the Duchy of Arenberg under Louis Engelbert. It was incorporated into the First French Empire in 1811 as a cantonal seat. After a period of Prussian occupation between 1813 and 1814, the Congress of Vienna awarded Meppen and the Duchy of Arenberg to the Kingdom of Hanover. The Town connected to the Hanoverian West Railway in 1855. Hanover was annexed as a Prussian province in 1866, and Meppen subsequently became part of the unified German Empire in 1871.
Read more of the history
During the November 1938 pogroms (Kristallnacht), local Nazi police and SA members destroyed the town synagogue, plundered Jewish property, and deported several Jewish residents to the Oranienburg concentration camp. In 1939, Stalag VI-B was established in Meppen-Versen, housing Polish, French, Belgian, Soviet, and Italian Prisoners of war. In 1944, the camp was converted into a subcamp of the Neuengamme concentration camp, where over 1,700 forced laborers were held under severe conditions, over 20 percent died. Canadian forces (the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada) liberated the town on 8 April 1945.
Following World War II and the abolition of Prussia in 1946, Meppen became part of the state of Lower Saxony. District reforms in 1977 merged the former districts of Lingen, Meppen, and Aschendorf Hümmling into the Emsland district, with Meppen serving as the administrative seat.
From the History section of Meppen on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
More about Meppen
Geography
The town is in the central part of the Emsland, at the mouth of the Hase River where it meets the Ems, between the cities of Lingen and Papenburg. About 20 kilometres (12 mi) from the Dutch border, Meppen has an area of 188.45 square kilometres (72.76 sq mi) and is 15 metres (49 ft) above sea level.
In 1974, 13 independent, surrounding municipalities were integrated into Meppen.
Arts and culture
Between September and April the Meppen Theatre Group (Theatergemeinde Meppen) offers a comprehensive programme. Productions take place in the Meppen Theatre and Concert Hall, which was designed by Eberhard Kulenkampff and completed in 1959. It also acts as a school hall for the Windthorst Gymnasium. The programme includes both touring theatre productions as well as musical events of various genres.
From May to September, the Emsland Open Air Stage at Meppen (Emsländische Freilichtbühne Meppen) offers visitors a family musical and an evening event, mostly based on musical productions. More than 30,000 visitors come each year to the open air theatre in Esterfeld Forest to see large musical performances involving casts of up to 100.
Town Museum in the Arenberg Rentei in Obergerichtsstraße, built by August Reinking
Exhibition Centre for the Archaeology of the Emsland on Koppelschleuse street
Around 1461–62 the Priory Church of St. Vitus was built as a three-aisled late Gothic hall church. Whilst there were only wooden churches in the surrounding area, at this sport there was already a simple stone building as early as the 9th century. This was expanded in the 11th century; the heart of the present tower being one of the additions. Further expansion in the 13th century resulting in the Bridle and North Portals being built.
From the Wikipedia article Meppen, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Notable people from Meppen
Alwin SchockemöhleGerman equestrianPhoto: Croes, Rob C. / Anefo, CC BY-SA 3.0 nl
Levin SchückingGerman writer (1814–1883)Photo: Unknown author, Public domain
Hermann LauseGerman actor (1939–2005)Photo: Werner Bethsold, CC BY-SA 4.0
Bernd SchlömerGerman politicianPhoto: Martin Kraft, CC BY-SA 3.0
Ferdinand Schöninghbookseller and publisher (1815-1883)Photo: Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain
Richard WieseGerman linguistPhoto: Neurophon, CC BY-SA 4.0- Thomas BrökerGerman football player
- Carsten SchlangenGerman middle distance runner
- Karl BrandiGerman medievalist and historian of modern age (1868-1946)
- Maurits van Löben Selsfencer (1876–1944)
- Gerd ZacherGerman composer (1929–2014)
- Christa Frieda VogelGerman photographer
Born in Meppen, according to Wikidata (CC0). Each name links to its Wikipedia article.
Where to stay21
Churches and places of worship29
Autobahnkapelle „Jesus – Brot des Lebens“
Church · Ecumenical · 9.2 km
A31 Heseper Moor West, Geeste
St. Nikolaus Groß Hesepe
Church · Roman Catholic · 8.2 km
118 Meppener Straße, Geeste
Shopping29
Gas and EV charging25
Schools, colleges and libraries32
Healthcare12
Nikolaus Apotheke
Clinic and pharmacy · 8.1 km
1 Pfarrer-Wekenborg-Straße, Geeste
Map of Meppen
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
Flugplatz Varrelbusch (VAC) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 56 km away.
- Geeste 10 km south, about 10 min by car
- Haren 12 km north, about 12 min by car
- Haselünne 13 km east, about 13 min by car
- Twist 16 km west, about 16 min by car
- Lingen 19 km south, about 19 min by car
- Lathen 19 km north, about 19 min by car
- Wietmarschen 22 km southwest, about 22 min by car
- Sögel 23 km northeast, about 23 min by car
- Freren 28 km southeast, about 28 min by car
- Nordhorn 33 km southwest, about 33 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Towns near Meppen
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Keep exploring
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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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
- Historia urbodomo Meppen 2, Thomas Pusch, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Stolpersteinlage Meppen Kuhstraße 21, Gmbo 2013, CC0
- Stolperstein Meppen Kuhstraße 21 Sally Cohen, Gmbo 2013, CC0
- Gaststätte (Up'n Bült) Kuhstraße 9 Meppen P4040944, Worldfootage, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Historisches Rathaus Meppen (SW-Ansicht), JoachimKohler-HB, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Markt in der Meppener Altstadt - Südseite (2022), JoachimKohler-HB, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erker am Rathaus Meppen (2022), JoachimKohler-HB, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Meppen Stadtverwaltung Relief, Corradox, CC0
- Alltagsmenschen am Rathaus in Meppen (2022), JoachimKohler-HB, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Alte Stadtapotheke in Meppen (2022), JoachimKohler-HB, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Portal der Stadtverwaltung Meppen, JoachimKohler-HB, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Stadthaus Meppen (Stadtverwalung Markt 43), JoachimKohler-HB, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Meppen Rathaus Erker, Corradox, CC0
- Markt in der Meppener Altstadt (2022), JoachimKohler-HB, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Rathaus Meppen (2022), JoachimKohler-HB, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Verwaltungsgebäude Markt 43 Meppen P4050132, Worldfootage, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Meppen - panoramio, Alkhimov Maxim, CC BY 3.0
- Gedenkstätte Meppen Synagogenstandort Infotafel, Gmbo 2013, CC0
- Gedenkstätte Meppen Synagogenstandort Gedenkstein, Gmbo 2013, CC0
- Wohn- und Geschäftshaus Markt 10 Meppen P4050437, Worldfootage, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Stolpersteinlage Meppen Gymnasialstraße 11, Gmbo 2013, CC0
- Wohn- und Geschäftshaus Markt 9 Meppen P4050435, Worldfootage, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Rathaus Meppen - Ost-Südostseite (2022), JoachimKohler-HB, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Gedenkstätte Meppen Synagogenstandort, Gmbo 2013, CC0
- Stolpersteinlage Meppen Domhof-Bült, Gmbo 2013, CC0
- Stolpersteine Meppen Domhof-Bült, Gmbo 2013, CC0
- Ehemalige Weinhandlung 1803 Meppen P4050129, Worldfootage, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Stolperstein Meppen Domhof-Bült Bertha Hamburger, Gmbo 2013, CC0
- Stolperstein Meppen Domhof-Bült Lili Cohen, Gmbo 2013, CC0
- Stolperstein Meppen Markt 31 Betty Fryda, Gmbo 2013, CC0
- Stolperstein Meppen Gymnasialstraße 11 Lina Aleander, Gmbo 2013, CC0
- Gymnasialkirche Meppen mit Residenz, Dnumiar Mep, CC BY 4.0
- Stolpersteinlage Meppen Markt 31, Gmbo 2013, CC0
- Wohn--Wirtschaftsgebäude Im Sack 5 Meppen P4040931, Worldfootage, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Wohn- Wirtschaftsgebäude Im Sack 12 Meppen P4040929, Worldfootage, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Erdölmuseum Twist, Michael Wilken at de.wikipedia, Public domain
- Kamp Versen 2-1, DennisPeeters, Public domain
- Autobahnkapelle Jesus Brot des Lebens, 4028mdk09, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Geeste - Osterbroker Straße - Biotop 08 ies, Frank Vincentz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Meppen - Borkener Paradies 14 ies, Frank Vincentz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Meppen - Apeldorner Hauptstraße - Der Steinerne Schlüssel 05 ies, Frank Vincentz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Moorbirkenwald Emsland, Elke Freese, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 2010-10-30 Geeste, Moormuseum 001 (5207417022), Allie_Caulfield from Germany, CC BY 2.0
- Haren - B70 - NSG Flütenberg - Flütenberg 01 ies, Frank Vincentz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Sankt-Vitus-Bokeloh 1, HOWI - Horsch, Willy, CC BY 2.5
- Meppen - Meppener Kuhweide - Werner-Menne-Pfad 07 ies, Frank Vincentz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Emslandstadion nach dem Aufstiegsspiel Meppen gegen Waldhof Mannheim, Cryptorebel, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Meppen Windthorst Gymnasium Residenz, JuliusPC, CC0
- Naturschutzgebiet Lahrer Moor, Andreas Herrmann, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kamp Gross Hesepe 1, DennisPeeters, Public domain
- Wesuweer Moor, Bedo76, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Meppen, Sankt Vituskirche positie2 foto21 2011-05-08 15.48, Michielverbeek, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Geeste St. Antonius church, Hinnek.Higgens, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Katholische Kirche St. Nikolaus in Groß Hesepe, um 1900, 19XAVO90, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Meppen - Herzog-Arenberg-Straße - Marianum 03 ies, Frank Vincentz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Haren - Hemsener Straße - St. Clemens + Umfassungsmauer 01 ies, Frank Vincentz, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 2021-06-25 St. Antonius Kapelle Bückelte 07, Bärbel Miemietz, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Krankenhaus 23.06.2020-6, KHLudmillenstift, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Gimnazia preĝejo en Meppen 3, Thomas Pusch, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Emsländische Freilichtbühne Meppen – The Addams Family (Pause), JuliusPC, CC0
- Theater Meppen (2022), JoachimKohler-HB, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, martiensch, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, brunsben, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, vst, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, jmsbert, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, littlefool, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, brunsben, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, Langfahrer, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, changchun1, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, ligfietser, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, changchun1, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, ligfietser, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, ligfietser, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, robinvdlinde, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, Langfahrer, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, robinvdlinde, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, vst, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, vst, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, robinvdlinde, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, Langfahrer, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, teddy73, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, changchun1, CC BY-SA 4.0
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