St. Lamberti's Church was built in 1375 as a market and citizens' church in Münster's centre and is one of the most important sacred buildings of the Westphalian late Gothic period. Since 1379, a burgher's horn has been blown here several times each evening by a burgomaster.
The church is also known for its three iron baskets attached to the tower: the three bodies of the leaders of the Anabaptist kingdom of Münster were displayed in them in 1536.
Guided toursThe Kirchenfoyer Münster offers a guided tour of the various churches in the city centre every Wednesday at 3 pm. In addition to a lot of historical background, the tours impart knowledge about liturgical and religious meanings of the respective buildings.
The tours start every Wednesday at 3 pm from the church foyer, Salzstraße 1, 48143 Münster, Tel.: 39998450, and are free of charge. Exact destinations are announced in the monthly programme of the Kirchenfoyer.
The church building
On the site of today's Lamberti Church, a small church dedicated to Bishop Lambert was built around the year 1000. Since then, four churches were partly built and destroyed on this site before the foundation stone for today's (fifth) church was laid in 1375. Construction of the Gothic hall church ended in 1440, and the entire building was completed in 1525.
The Lamberti Church
In the heart of the city, on Prinzipalmarkt, stands one of Münster's most important, if not the most important church: Lambertikirche, built in the 14th and 15th centuries. The most striking feature is the very high church tower, which, however, was only erected in this form later and, like the rest of the church, had to be largely rebuilt after the Second World War.
On the church square in front of the church is the beautiful Lamberti Fountain. On warmer days of the year there is the opportunity to sit in cafés near the square. In winter, Lambertikirchplatz is a magnet for visitors, as one of Münster's many Christmas markets is held here.
When looking at the church tower, one unusual feature quickly catches the eye: three forged baskets. In their first and last use, the bodies of three leaders of the Anabaptist movement were enclosed in the baskets and hung from the tower of the Lambertikirche - a gruesome story intended to have both a punishing and a deterrent effect.