Iserlohn
Iserlohn is a city in the Sauerland-Siegerland region in Germany.
Get in
By plane
By train
Iserlohn has a train station that is the terminus of two railway lines. One goes to Dortmund via Schwerte, the other one goes to Essen via Hagen and Bochum. However, it is one of the bigger German cities without any ICE service.
- 1 Bahnhof Iserlohn.
- 2 Bahnhof Iserlohn-Letmathe.
By car
If you are travelling by car, Iserlohn can be reached by using the motorway (Autobahn) A 46.
Get around
The local transport system is mainly operated by buses of the regional transportation company MVG. Buses not only operate different routes within the city, but also go to neighbouring towns.
A city map for cyclists is available in the tourist office or can be downloaded here. There is a bike rental for e-bikes at the train station (ask in the bookstore, phone +49 (0)2371-22189). Other bike rentals are: Bike Man Schluckert, Theodor-Heuss-Ring 7, phone +49 (0)2371-20657; Rolf Navel, Hohler Weg 13, phone +49 (0)2371-12966.
See
Iserlohn offers various different things to see and do:
Sights and landmarks
- 1 Danzturm. former semaphore tower with a nice view over the city. It can be visited (and climbed) during the opening hours of the neighbouring restaurant.
- 2 Dechenhöhle. and German Cave Museum: Dechenhöhle is a flowstone cave that was discovered in 1868 during construction works for the new railway line. Today the cave is open for visitors and so is the Cave Museum next door.
- 3 Seilersee. small water supply dam; lake not for swimming, but boating is fine and the boat rental open during the summer months.
Industrial heritage
- 4 Maste-Barendorf, museum@iserlohn.de. Industrial heritage site. The small village of historic factories is part of the European Route of Industrial Heritage. Here, you find the Museum of Needles where you learn that in the 19th century, more than 100 working steps were required for the production of needles. There are also a number of gallery spaces with changing exhibitions and the original site of a brass foundry.
- Corn Distillery Bimberg (Gut Lenninghausen). guided tours and Schnaps tastings on request.
- Altstadt quarter/Obere Mühle.
Churches
- 5 St. Aloysius. neo-roman basilica completed in 1895.
- 6 Oberste Stadtkirche. gothic church dating from the 14th century.
- 7 Bauernkirche. Oldest building in town. The now-Protestant church dates from around 1000.
- 8 St. Kilian (Located in the district of Letmathe). this neogothic hall church dates from 1914. It possesses a relic from Saint John Paul II.
Art
- Villa Wessel, Gartenstraße 31. Exhibitions of modern and contemporary art are displayed
- Städtische Galerie (municipal gallery), Theodor-Heuss-Ring 24. shows regular high quality changing exhibitions with a specialisation in photography. Previous exhibitions were dedicated to the work of Jan Banning, Steve McCurry or Willy Ronis.
Tourist office
- Iserlohn Tourist Information, Bahnhofsplatz 2 (Is located inside the train station), ☏ +49 2371 2171820.
Do
- Take a walk on the old town wall. The narrow path is now called Gosengasse and can be entered from either Hans-Böckler-Straße or Westergraben.
- Go for a hike in the woods and mountains surrounding the city centre.
- Celebrate the Schützenfest on Alexanderhöhe and watch the riflemen's parade passing by. The Iserlohn Schützenfest is the biggest folk festival in the region and usually takes place in July, shortly before the school summer holidays start.
- Iserlohn Roosters, Seeuferstr. 25. local first league ice hockey team play in the ice stadium
Buy
Most shops are located in the pedestrian precinct which is mainly formed by the streets Unnaer Straße, Wermingser Straße and Laarstraße. Here, you will find department stores like Karstadt or local stores such as B&U. On Wednesdays and Fridays, a farmer's market opens its booths around the fountain on the new market square and on Schillerplatz.
Eat
Drink
- Café Fuchs und Hase: coffee place that also offers brunch and small snacks. Wasserstr. 9. Customers can also get things like deodorant, skin cream and sanitary pads.
- Bar El Ambiente: Tapas bar located in the vaults of one of the oldest buildings of the city. Theodor-Heuss-Ring 24.
Sleep
- Literaturhotel. An unusual 3* hotel, which is full of books not only in the house's own huge library, but every guest will also find a personal selection of recent publications on his bed table.
- [dead link] Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten. 4* superior hotel located on the banks of the Seilersee.
- Ruhrtalblick (located on the banks of the river Ruhr). Camp site
Nearby
- Heinrichshöhle (Heinrich's cave), Hemer (6 km east of Iserlohn). Limestone cave with fossiles and sceletons of primeval animals.