Understand
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Waltrop is a central town with a dense settlement pattern centred around the historic town centre, with the Catholic parish church of St. Peter, and six surrounding farming communities (Leveringhausen, Elmenhorst, Brockenscheidt, Döttelbeck (now Oberwiese), Holthausen, and Behem (now Lippe)). This is rather atypical for the region between the Ruhr Valley and Münsterland. Historically, Waltrop developed as a parish in the Vest Recklinghausen district (which belongs to the Archbishopric of Cologne) as a border region with the Prince-Bishopric of Münster, the County of Mark, and the Imperial City of Dortmund. The settlement repeatedly suffered from corresponding feuds.
The name "Waltrop" or "Waldorp" first appears in 1147 in the records of Pope Eugene III, when a donation to the abbey in Cologne-Deutz is mentioned. In the 15th century, the place was already mentioned as a "freedom," and in 1596, it was granted the right to hold a twice-yearly annual fair and cattle market.
In 2023, the population of Waltrop was 29,000.
Visitor information
[edit]Get in
[edit]By plane
[edit]The nearest airport is Dortmund Airport 21 DTM IATA}, it is only about 30 km away.
By train
[edit]Waltrop's rail connection, but no longer serves passenger services. The station is closed.
By bus
[edit]The Vestische buses operate routes to and from Waltrop; the town and its surrounding area are part of the Rhine-Ruhr Transport Association (VRR).
Route 231 runs from Recklinghausen via Oer-Erkenschwick and Datteln (Bf) to Waltrop. Route 284 connects Waltrop with Brambauer, a district of Lünen, where there is a tram connection to Dortmund.
The SB24 express bus runs via Datteln and Oer-Erkenschwick to Recklinghausen main station, or in the other direction to Dortmund-Mengede station.
The X13 express bus connects Datteln and Dortmund University via Waltrop and DO-Mengede, stopping only at Waltrop Town Hall. Information and network maps are available on the Rhine-Ruhr Transport Association website.
By road
[edit]No motorway or federal highway runs through Waltrop. However, the No. 12 Dortmund-MengedeA2 (south), the (southeast of Waltrop), the (west), and the (east) lie nearby.
By ship
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At the Schleusenpark, the Rhine-Herne Canal branches off from the Dortmund-Ems Canal. There are several jetties at the Schleusenpark.
Further north, the Datteln-Hamm Canal crosses the city in a west-east direction. Shortly after its branch off from the Datteln Lake, the small, private marina 1 Ribbrock Marina, Waltrop, Münsterstraße 212 (1.87 km in the DHK). ☏ +49 2309 77021. Approximately 4 guest berths, additional berths in the canal directly at the harbour. Campsite included, sanitary facilities available. Berths are quite quiet thanks to the sill gate; note the entrance height of 4.50 m (bridge). The SB24 express bus stops 50 m from the marina. Open: daily 08:00-22:00. Price: guest berth up to 8 m, €10 per day, from 8 linear metres plus €1.00/m/day.
By bicycle
[edit]Waltrop is located on the Dortmund-Ems Canal route and on the Ruhr area circuit.
Get around
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The Vestische Bus lines 283 and 285 run within the city.
See
[edit]- 1 Henrichenburg boat lift, Am Hebewerk 26. Tu-Su 10:00-18:00. A museum in a boat lift built in 1899 which continued in operation until 1962. Nearby, in the Waltrop Lock Park (Schleusenpark), is a replacement lift which operated from 1962 until 2005 and the current canal locks. €8.
- 2 St. Peter's Church. Founded as a private church in about the 9th century, the earliest part of the building is the west tower from the 12th century.
Do
[edit]Buy
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- 1 Manufactum, 45731 Waltrop, Hiberniastraße 4, ☏ +49 2309 939142, [email protected]. M-F 11:00-19:00, Sa 10:00-18:00. The high-priced range of goods consists of household goods, furniture, clothing, food, office supplies, toys, books, garden accessories. The motto is: "The good things still exist".
- 2 Hase Bikes, 45731 Waltrop, Hiberniastraße 2, ☏ +49 2309 93770, [email protected]. Manufacturer of special bikes, mostly recumbent bikes and tricycles and step tandems.
- 3 Milchhof Billmann, Friedhofstr. 90, ☏ +49 2309 2881. Fresh country milk, natural yoghurt, fruit yoghurt and drinking yoghurt every day.
Eat
[edit]- 1 Curry Heini, Dortmunder Str. 20, ☏ +49 2309 2808. M Tu Th-Sa 11:00–22:00, Su public holidays 17:00–22:00. A fast food restaurant with a long tradition and well-known far beyond the city limits. The fries are said to be among the best in the Ruhr area.
- 2 Gasthaus Stromberg, Dortmunder Straße 5, ☏ +49 2309 4228, [email protected]. Tu-F from 14:00, Sa 11:00-15:00 and from 17:00. Exclusive gastronomy.
Drink
[edit]Sleep
[edit]- 1 Hotel am Park, Bahnhofstr. 146, ☏ +49 2309 78750. Hotel (7 double rooms and 6 single rooms) with restaurant and beer garden. Single €70, double €95, breakfast €10.
- 2 Haus der Handweberei (Hotel Kaufhold), Bahnhofstraße 95, ☏ +49 2309 96090. 8 single rooms, 16 double rooms and 3 triple rooms in a former weaving mill. single €60, double €95, triple €130, breakfast €10.
Connect
[edit]Go next
[edit]- Datteln is 7 km to the west. Get there by driving, on the SB24 or X13 bus, or by walking along the Dortmund-Ems Canal.