Leisure activities in Paderborn

The computer pioneer and entrepreneur Heinz Nixdorf played a major role in Paderborn's development. The former company headquarters now houses the "Heinz Nixdorf MuseumsForum", the largest computer museum in the world.

One of Paderborn’s most prominent landmarks is the cathedral („Dom“) with its famous Three-Hares-Window („Drei-Hasen-Fenster“) and the crypt, which is the repository of the remains of Saint Liborius. You can also visit the reconstructed Ottonian-Salic imperial estate („Kaiserpfalz“), the Bartholomäuskapelle with its extraordinary acoustics and the Diocesan museum.

An overview of further sights and museums can be found here.

(Please note, that some of the information is only available in German)

In spring, you can enjoy the „spring festival“, in July, „Libori“, one of Germany’s biggest and oldest fun fairs, takes place and during the winter time the christmas market attracts lots of tourists and locals.

An overview of events (in German) can be found on the website of the city of Paderborn (event highlights) and on the local radio station's website.

The „Kulturwerkstatt“ also offers lots of cultural events.

(Please note, that most of the information is only available in German)

Paderborn is located in a region that offers plenty of sights – the Wewelsburg, Germany‘s only triangle castle in still closed construction, Europe’s longest limestone bridge, the Viadukt in Altenbeken, or the monastery Dalheim, to name only a few.

More information can be found here (in German only)

The federal state („Bundesland“) Paderborn is located in, North Rhine-Westphalia, also offers a huge variety of sights, events and acitivities.

Paderborn offers numerous sports activities.

First and foremost, Paderborn is famous for its local football club SC Paderborn 07 and on the weekends you can watch the team play in their home stadium, the „Benteler Arena“. 

Paderborn University offers lots of sports courses, from classical dance and football to more unusual sports such as „flunkyball“ or Ultimate Frisbee.  In addition, there various sports clubs in Paderborn. 

Paderborn als has a sports centre, the „Ahorn-Sportpark“, where you can play badminton or squash, to name only two of the sports activities which are offered there. 

If you like swimming, you can use one of the popular indoor or outdoor swimming pools in Paderborn.

(Please note, that some information are only provided in German)

Paderborn’s theatre offers a varied programme of classics, contemporary plays, comedies, musical pieces and dramas.

If you prefer watching movies, you can choose between three cinemas, the UCI and the Pollux by Cineplex and the arthouse cinema at Paderborn University.

If you are interested in courses related to cooking, sports, IT, art, language, music and crafts, you can attend classes at the „Volkshochschule“. It serves as a community school of continuing education and is partially funded by the government.

Current news from the region as well as information about events can be found in the daily newspapers Neue Westfälische and Westfalen-Blatt, at the local radio station Radio Hochstift or at Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR).

Whereas these magazines and radio stations mainly provide information in German, "die Deutsche Welle (DW)" also offers news from Germany in English.

In the public library, you can borrow books, magazines and other media, use the digital offers of the "Onleihe" or take part in various events

On Facebook, there are some groups in which locals can exchange ideas, get to know each other or get answers to their questions, for example "Lokalportal Paderborn", "Paderhilfe" or "Neu in Paderborn".

In the group "Foodsharing Paderborn" you can share surplus food (for example before a holiday or when something is left over from a party).

There are also Facebook groups to give away or sell things in Paderborn. 

The "Marketplace for Volunteer work" offers an overview of possibilities to volunteer in Paderborn.