City of Peace, Osnabrück!

Osnabrück founded around 780 AD is a hip, fun, multifaceted, beautiful town with so much to offer! If you like old buildings and lots of history dating back to before your great, great, great, great, great grandparents were born, then this is the place for you :)

Old city tower

 It's a town rich in history, culture, great restaurants, pubs, beautiful architecture, friendly people......

Cafes

If you like churches or just want to experience some unforgettable acoustics visit this place.

St. John's Church (Johanniskirsche) estab. 1256

If you want to walk around some old streets and imagine you live in the 1600's there are plenty of romantic, old alleys to explore.

Charming windy street in the Old Town area

Also known as the "City of Peace", Osnabrück played a pivotal role during the Thirty Years' War.  The city co-hosted negotiations to end the war. With the signing of the Treaty of Westphalia in the Osnabrück town hall the war came to an end in 1648.

Osnabrück Town Hall

There's a local joke, "How long was the Thirty Years' War?" ............ 30 Years!  Tricky, huh?

Just in case you are loving the town and the person you are with, you might want to make time to get hitched in Osnabrück!  Just walk through the romantic, blue doors to the city marriage registrar office :) 

Maybe you will hear these church bells after the ceremony ;)

As numerous other towns in Germany, Osnabrück suffered many losses during World War II. As a way of commemorating and remembering the lost lives of their Jewish residents, engraved gold cobblestones dot the streets marking where they used to live.

Family Stern deported in 1941 and murdered in Riga

Ms. Grünberg deported in 1942 and murdered in Auschwitz

The golden cobblestones are stunning and caused me to stop mid-stride.  You can't help but reflect on the person listed, standing in front of their home and what that time in history meant to them. It's sobering. 

Half-timbered house (Fachwerk)

The Christmas Market (Weihnachtsmarkt) is also an unforgettable event. Rain, Snow or nose-numbing-sub-freezing temperatures the party continues at the Weihnachtsmarkt. 

After a marveling and reflective walking tour of the town a beer at one of the local pubs is the perfect way to cap off the day and enjoy all Osnabrück has to offer!

Biergarten photo compliments of another Portland transplant :)

Cheers!

References:
http://www.historytoday.com/richard-cavendish/treaty-westphalia
http://www.historicgermany.travel/historic-cities/
https://issuu.com/omt_osnabrueck/docs/welcome_to_osnabru__ck_englisch_201