Soest

The globally unique green sandstone ensemble "Altstadt Soest" scores with its unmistakable tower silhouette, pretty half-timbered houses, historic inns and nationally renowned major events. The old Hanseatic city is also almost 400 years older than almost all Central European cities.

Picturesque alleyways and Winkeln, important Romanesque and Gothic churches, cozy Biergartens and an almost completely preserved Wallmauer invite you to linger all year round. Incidentally, there is only one other walkable and tree-lined city wall like the one in Soest in Europe - in Lucca in Tuscany.

In addition to historic stained glass windows, the churches also contain works by the modern elite in this field in almost all styles. This makes Soest the "largest decentralized stained glass museum in Germany". Beautiful shopping districts - also away from the pedestrian zone - offer a successful mix of attractive chain stores and owner-managed specialist stores, providing the best conditions for a leisurely shopping tour.

And another tip: the tourist information office offers around 30 themed tours that present Soest from a different angle every time. And with the SoesTour app, the Altstadt can also be discovered individually, including five locations that allow you to travel back in time via augmented reality, which you can also "beam" yourself into. So there are plenty of reasons to pay Soest a visit: The historic Altstadt with its green sandstone look, the Soest tree blossom or during a major event amidst the medieval backdrop. The undisputed highlight here is the All Saints' Fair - Europe's largest old town fair - in November with a tradition dating back almost 700 years.