Borken: Wasserburg Gemen, Cycle Routes and Borderland Culture

Wasserburg Gemen was built more than 900 years ago on two islands in the former marshland of the Bocholter Aa. Since 1946, the Diocese of Münster has operated it as a youth education centre under the name “Jugendburg Gemen.” Its architectural history and use make it a distinctive historic site in the Borken district.

Historic Sites and Borderland Culture

The Freiheit Gemen also tells a unique story of place: it forms a historic urban ensemble and has been documented as a separate legal district since the Middle Ages. This gave it a special legal status. The castle and the Freiheit offer different ways to explore history—from the building and its long use to the legal arrangements handed down over time.

The Borken district is in North Rhine-Westphalia and the Münster administrative district, north of the Ruhr region. It is the westernmost district of Münsterland. Its 108-kilometre border with the Dutch regions of Achterhoek and Twente makes cross-border excursions possible. Landscapes for peace and relaxation are part of the region, as are buildings of cultural and historical interest, including moated castles and manor houses with parks.

Cycle Routes and Flexible Tour Planning

Those wishing to explore the district by bike will find more than 5,000 kilometres of well-developed cycle routes away from busy roads. Signposted cycle paths invite you to explore. The Münsterland junction network also allows for flexible tour planning across district and state borders.

Themed cycling routes in the Borken district and Münsterland include the 100 Castles Route, the Hohe Mark Cycle Route and the Flamingo Route. In Vreden, the 100 Castles Route, the R1 European Cycle Route and the Flamingo Route meet. This selection offers several specific starting points for planning a tour, without letting any one route define the character of the entire district.

Exhibitions, Walks and Activities

At kult Westmünsterland in Vreden, an exhibition explores the history and culture of West Münsterland and the neighbouring Dutch region of Achterhoek. The permanent exhibition looks at borders from several perspectives: trade and transport, smuggling and law, faith and religion, globalisation and regional identity, and the past and present. This makes it possible to explore the borderland not only geographically, but also through everyday life, rules and change.

For a walk by the water, a five-kilometre path loops around Pröbstingsee in Borken. Visitors can also go pedal boating at the boathouse there. Another walking option starts at Schlosspark Gemen: the approximately three-kilometre Sternbusch Avenue heads north to a bird sanctuary and other woodland. In Velen, the palace park is a starting point for longer walks through the adjoining wildlife park.

At the Tiergarten Schloss Raesfeld, a free nature activity area covering 5,000 square metres welcomes the whole family. Activities include climbing and balance trails, a low ropes course, a pinecone-throwing area and a branch-building site. You can also experience traditional crafts hands-on: at the Bocholt Handicrafts Museum, visitors can try them for themselves as well as see them on display.

The historic Raesfeld moated castle can be viewed from the outside at any time. Guided tours are also available of the grounds and the castle chapel, with its Baroque altar and lead heart. The district offers a range of interests side by side: exhibitions, regional history, nature activities, walks and hands-on experiences.

Travel Planning and Choosing a Hotel Location

Various organisers offer exhibitions, concerts and events throughout the year across the district. For information about activities, package tours and group trips, you can contact the local tourist information offices and associations. When choosing a hotel location, it helps to first weigh up the main focus of your trip: historic townscapes, exhibitions, cycle routes or nature experiences. The destinations mentioned are in different places across the district, so choose your base according to the places and themes you want to include in your stay.

Discover more destinations: Ahaus, Bocholt, Borken, Gescher, Gronau, Isselburg, Raesfeld, Rhede, Schöppingen, Stadtlohn, Vreden, Velen, Legden, Reken, Heiden, Südlohn, Heek.

Go to the regional travel overview: North Rhine-Westphalia.