Kamen: City History and the Seseke

Kamen can be explored through several themes: medieval city history, Romanesque churches, traces of railway and mining history, and the transformed Seseke. When planning your trip, it is worth first considering whether you want to focus on architecture and historic sites, the museum, or cycling activities. Options range from a historic city tour lasting about 90 minutes to a 17-kilometre beginner cycling loop.

City History and Architecture

St Paul’s Church is Romanesque; its first building dates from the 12th century. Its westward-leaning tower is considered Kamen’s landmark and tilts against the prevailing wind direction. The Old Market was originally the centre of medieval Kamen and remains a meeting place and venue for events in the city centre.

The Old Town Hall is a stucco building with a partially enclosed arcade loggia; it served as Kamen’s town hall until 1976. A remnant of the old town wall stands at the western entrance to Ostenmauer. The wall was built in the 13th century from green Anröchte sandstone. In Methler stands St Margaret’s Church, a late Romanesque hall church with the oldest known church roof structure in Westphalia.

Industrial History and Museum

Railway and mining history can also be seen in the buildings. The Five-Arch Bridge over the Seseke is among Germany’s oldest railway bridges still in operation and has been preserved in its original state. Kamen Technology Park includes the headframe and former changing building of the Monopol mine.

The House of City History combines a local history museum, a historical archive and a research library. The visitor programme includes exhibitions, guided tours, lectures, readings, concerts and educational activities; individual programmes may change. A model shows Kamen as it was around 1750. At a children’s station, visitors can try on replicas of medieval helmets and coifs.

The Seseke, the Park and Public Art

The Seseke was transformed from a straight, concrete channel into a winding river designed to resemble a natural waterway, with shallow-water zones and retention areas. The renaturation encouraged the return of flora and fauna and created new habitats. In the heart of Kamen, Seseke Park offers playgrounds, lawns for picnics and a beach volleyball court; the park is on the Seseke Cycle Route.

Kamen’s cycle routes pass artworks from the “Über Wasser gehen” (Walking on Water) project, including “JETZT und der Fluss” (NOW and the River). The work uses gabions to frame views of the Seseke and explores time and change. On the Seseke Route, “Pixelröhre” (Pixel Tube) interprets the transformation from wastewater channel to river through landscape art. Conditions in the park and at individual installations may change; check them before your visit if needed.

On Foot or by Bike

The historic city tour takes in important sites in the city centre and lasts about 90 minutes. Check its availability before your trip. The beginner cycling loop around Kamen is 17 kilometres long and runs almost entirely on cycle paths away from motorised traffic. Cycling trips along the Seseke and Körne are also among the activities visitors enjoy in Kamen. This gives you different reference points for planning: the approximate duration of a guided tour or the distance of a cycling trip. For the cycling loop, it is advisable to check current route conditions.

Discover more destinations: Unna, Bergkamen, Lünen, Bönen, Selm, Werne, Holzwickede, Fröndenberg/Ruhr.

Go to the parent travel overview: Unna.