City Portrait

Dülmen is a medium sized town in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Dülmen has about 47,000 inhabitants and it is the largest town in the county of Coesfeld. The city is located in the Münsterland between the Hohe Mark Nature Park, the hills of the Baumberge, the city of Münster and the Ruhr area.

Dülmen is composed of seven boroughs: Dülmen-Mitte, Kirchspiel, Buldern, Hausdülmen, Hiddingsel, Merfeld and Rorup. In 1975, those boroughs were incorporated into the town of Dülmen. But until today, each borough has its own personality, its own lifestyle and identity. Especially the wide range of clubs and organizations shapes the social structure in the individual neighbourhoods.

Their thick winter coat protects the animals from the cold. The horses have to cope with disease and birth withou veterinary assistance. Thereby, they are subject to natural selection.

A remarkable event is the annual trapping of the wild horses, which always  takes place on the last Saturday in May. Thousands of visitors witness courageous men separating the young stallions from their herd.  This is necessary to prevent inbreeding and struggles between the stallions. The captured males are sold to the highest bidder and some are offered in a raffle. After a thorough training, the Dülmen Ponies are robust and steady horses for recreational riding.  

Dülmen has a vibrant and diverse cultural community. In comparison to the town's size, the amount of cultual events is amazing.

Locals and visitors alike enjoy the many concerts, children's theatre plays, cabaret and comedy shows, dance and theatre performances. The cultural experience is completed by thrilling readings, interesting lectures and numerous exhibitions. Annual Highlights are the “Dülmener Figurentheatertage” (puppet theatre festival), the culinary and cultural experience of “Dülmen à la carte”, the theatrical and musical festival "Dülmener Sommer" as well as the atmospheric "Dülmener Winter", which consists of an ice skating rink, a traditional Christmas fair and many seasonal events.

Many innovative and internationally oriented companies are located in Dülmen. They stand out due to highly qualified employes and exceptional performances. A mixture of industrial, commercial and trade businesses guarantees a modern economic structure. The development of industrial and commercial parks further strengthens Dülmen's economy.

As a business location, Dülmen has an easy access to the nearby motorways and main roads. The airports of Münster-Osnabrück, Dortmund and Cologne can be reached quickly.