Vechta - Vechta

Vechta is next to Cloppenburg the second district town in Oldenburger Münsterland.

The tourist highlight since 2012 has been the citadel with the Castrum Vechtense, the reconstruction of the medieval castle at whose feet the city was built. In the neighboring museum in the armory, artifacts can be viewed that were found in 2005/2006 during archaeological excavations of the original fortifications. Traditionally, the "equestrian town" is also a center of German horse breeding and German equestrian sport. The "Stoppelmarkt", first mentioned in a document in 1298 and held every year in mid-August, is one of the oldest fairs in Germany.

The city, which is rich in green spaces and picturesque historic brick buildings, has, although it has often been said to be stubborn Catholic provinciality, today actually has an at least rudimentary multicultural and youthful flair. The reasons for this lie in noticeable Turkish immigration and the emancipation of the University of Vechta, which for a long time was mainly a teacher training center, but has been self-employed since 2010 and has since gained significantly in profile and in demand. Almost 5,000 students are currently enrolled, making up around 1/7 of the population.

background

History and present

The original settlement of Vechta took off when Bishop Benno II of Osnabrück had a castle built here in 1080, which gave Vechta Osnabrück privileges. The castle was built at this point because the moor stream, which was much wider in the Middle Ages than it is today, had a ford here; whoever traveled on the Rheinische Strasse could not avoid the ford.

After the castle was built, the city came under different rule several times. A fire in 1684 not only destroyed the castle and large parts of the city, but also resulted in Vechta being rebuilt with its current layout. In the early 21st century, the remains of Vechta Castle were uncovered during archaeological excavations; the finds can be viewed in the museum in the armory.

In 1666 a citadel took over the function of the castle as a defensive structure, but proved to be useless during the Seven Years' War and was razed in 1769. As a green area with moats, parts of the system have been preserved in the cityscape.

In the Middle Ages, the noble family of Elmendorff lived in the castle, but in 1421 they moved their headquarters to Gut Füchtel in the east of Vechta, which still exists today as a stud and restaurant. The last representative of the family, Cäcilie Freiin von Elmendorff, married Heinrich Freiherrn Droste zu Hülshoff, nephew of the poet Annette von Droste-Hülshoff, in 1863.

Today, Vechta is the location of several large international companies, e.g. the Olfry brickworks and the stable outfitter Big Dutchman. The University of Vechta was founded in 1861 as a teacher training college before becoming a university of education in 1947, a branch of the University of Osnabrück in 1973 and finally an independent university in 2010. Vechta is traditionally a location for horse breeding and equestrian sports. The Schockemöhle show jumping family is based in the region, and the new Oldenburg Horse Center has been located in the south of Vechta since 2001, where the Oldenburg Breeders Association holds auctions and major equestrian events.

Districts

Vechta comprises the following districts:

Downtown Vechta-West Vechta-North Stoppelmarkt, in the north, on Visbeker Damm Oyte, in the northeast

Füchtel, forest area east of the city center Grünmoor, in the southeast Welpe, forest area beyond the university, in the southeast of Vechta Hagen, in the south, with the university

Outside the closed urban area are the districts:

• Vardel and Stukenborg in the northwest
• Bergstrup, north of the Stoppelmarkt
• For the five northernmost districts of Vechta Holtrup, Calveslage, Deindrup, Spreda and Langförden see the article Langförden.

getting there

By plane

The closest airports are the Bremen Airport (BRE, 79 km), the Münster-Osnabrück Airport (FMO, 90 km) and the Hanover Airport (HAJ, 127 km). Hanover is not only the furthest away, but also has the worst train connection to Vechta.

By train

The Northwest Railway leaves on their "Weser-Ems" route Bremen - Vechta - Osnabrück commute a local train that leaves every hour. The journey time from the end of the route to Vechta is around 1 hour. Tickets cost € 13.30 (Osnabrück) or € 13.40 (Bremen; as of summer 2015) for a single journey. who of Oldenburg must come in Delmenhorst change.

By bus

You can take the 600 bus from the Ahlhorn train station in Great kneading about Vechta Dams and drive back. Bus 139 commutes over the route Lohne (Oldenburg) - Vechta - Diepholz.

The regional transport company Wilmering operates several bus routes that have stops in Vechta, including:

• 692 Vechta - Visbek
• 694 Vechta - Essen (Oldenburg)
• 938 Vechta - Cloppenburg
• 970 Vechta - Tailor's Mug - Cloppenburg

In the street

Via the A1 motorway. From the north exit 63 (Cloppenburg) via federal road B69; from the south exit 64 (Vechta) via Vechtaer Straße.

The L846 between Vechta and Lohne is prone to accidents, is considered the most heavily traveled country road in Lower Saxony and should be avoided.

By bike and on foot

Vechta is on the Pit stop route, an approximately 300 km long, ring-shaped long-distance cycle path that opens up a large part of the Oldenburger Münsterland.

Vechta is also on Picker path, a medieval trade and today's long-distance hiking trail (maintained by the Wiehengebirgsverband Weser-Ems), which connects Bremen and Osnabrück, among others. In and around Vechta and Lohne, the Pickerweg runs on the same route as the long-distance cycle path Sea way.

Pickerweg and Sea way lead in an arc to the east around Vechta. From north to south: Pickerweg - In den Tangen - To the village square - At Thesigs Kreuz - Greten Grund - Oythe - Telbraker Str. - An der Hasenweide - Füchteler Esch - Füchtel - Welpe - Dorgelohstr. - Tannenweg - An der Hohen Bank - Moorweg - Diepholzer Str. - Before the Moore - Fuhrenkamp.

mobility

Vechta has an unusual and very customer-friendly system for urban public transport. The four bus routes (Network plan; Rates) by the regional transport company Wilmering operated, travel fixed routes and have marked stops. However, if you want to ride, you can stop the bus at any point with a hand signal (if it is safe and legal to stop there); you can also let the bus stop at any point along the route to get off the bus. Tickets from the bus driver and at the head office (Marschstraße 45). (Wikipedia)

Tourist Attractions

Churches, monasteries, mosques

Two thirds of the population of the district of Vechta are Catholic; according to the county Emsland that is more than anywhere else in Lower Saxony. At the same time, however, Vechta also has a clearly visible Turkish and Muslim minority; For example, the Turkish national soccer player Alparslan Erdem is one of the sons of the city.

• Provost church of St. Georg (At the Propstei 13). The three-aisled brick church, built around 1600, has a valuable interior. Catholic High Mass Sun 11 a.m. (Wikipedia)
  Next to the southern side entrance of the church, a stone slab reminds of Johann von Dorgelo († 1597). This noble family, which was influential in the region, had its ancestral home on Gut Brettberg near Lohne, but also other possessions in Vechta, such as the Burgmannshof, the windmill and, at times, the Welpe estate.
• St. Marien Oythe (Oythe 16). Catholic church, the oldest part of which was built around 1300. For centuries the church had a wooden tower; the massive tower built from boulders and stones from the Vechta Citadel was not added until 1769–1775. Further additions, including today's choir, followed in 1840 and 1842. Opposite the church is the multi-part bronze sculpture The Müse van Aite ("Die Mäuse von Oythe"), which was published in 1986 by the Vechta artist Albert Bocklage created.
• Maria peace (Lattweg 33A). The seemingly massive church, the portal side of which is adorned with a wonderful large rose window, was built in 1953/1954. A plaque attached to the pastor's office commemorates the composer Andreas Romberg (1767-1821). Romberg, a contemporary of Mozart, is one of Vechta's most important sons. His birthplace used to be at this point.

The three Catholic churches in the closed urban area of ​​Vechta (St. Georg, St. Marien Oythe, Maria Frieden) are run by a joint pastoral team, "St. Assumption Day", supervised.

• Seekenkapelle (at Münsterstrasse 63). Small neo-Gothic brick chapel under trees, today framed by car dealerships. Built in 1880 when there was still a cemetery for lepers (Sieche or Seeken) that has been preserved from the Middle Ages. Until 1850 there was also a poor house here, which had previously been a Seekenhaus.
• Monastery Church of St. Joseph (Franziskanerplatz). The church built between 1727 and 1731 Evangelical Lutheran Church Congregation (Marienstrasse 14).
• Dominican monastery (Dominican Way). The Dominican Order has been present in Vechta since 1902, initially in a building in the city center, then in Füchtel, where the Order has been running a religious and missionary school since 1908, which is now a grammar school. Among the members of the order is Father Dr. Titus M. Horten; he was imprisoned under National Socialism in 1935 and died a little later, presumably of the consequences of the imprisonment. A granite column, partially encased by a bronze grille, opposite the portal of the monastery church, reminds of the priest.

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  St. George

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  St. George

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  St. Mary

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  St. Mary

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  Monastery Church of St. Joseph

• Sultan Ahmet Mosque (Rombergstrasse 10). Mosque in the south of Vechta.
• Bait-ul-Qaadir mosque (Gutenbergstrasse 9). This Muslim place of worship is located in an industrial area in the north of Vechta. (NDR article; Newspaper articles)

Buildings

• Nepomuk Bridge (Burgstrasse, opposite the Elmendorffburg). The oldest bridge in the city, originally narrower than it is today; the moor stream flows leisurely below it. In the Middle Ages, the stream was not only very swampy, but also considerably wider, and before the bridge existed, it could be crossed by a ford at this point. An old statue on the western bridge wall commemorates the patron saint after whom the bridge is named.
• Old Town Hall (Mayor-Kühling-Platz 3). This neat little white building is located in an idyllic location in the Bee-Park to the south-east of the new town hall. The building, which was designed and constructed by the Munster district rent master Alexander Wilhelm Driver from 1711 to 1713, was initially a residential building. In 1887 an extension was added. 1959–1999 it served as the town hall and the administrative seat of the Vechta district. Today the Vechta tourist information and the Andreas Romberg Society, a job at the University of Vechta. The meeting room with the city coat of arms and a late baroque stucco ceiling with ceiling paintings from the 18th century is well worth seeing. The room, formerly the living room of the east wing, now served as a wedding room.
• town hall (Burgstrasse 6). The new seat of the city administration opened in 2000. The building, designed by a team of Berlin architects, is stylistically a synthesis of the old, the traditional and the regional (= Vechta brick) and the new and the open (= the dramatic core of the building: a three-story glass atrium).

• Official (Bahnhofstrasse 6). The church authority of the diocese of Münster, established in 1831, is housed in a building that was built under the Oldenburg Grand Duke August I in the style of Oldenburg classicism. The striking white building has a modern roof, but is a listed building. (Wikipedia)
  In order to understand why Vechta is so proud of its Catholic heritage, you have to know that all Catholic diaspora communities in the otherwise mostly Protestant official district of Oldenburg are administered by the Vechta official office, which is a stretch of land that stretches from Vechta to Wangerooge extends and includes cities such as Oldenburg, Delmenhorst and Wilhelmshaven, which are much larger than Vechta. The district includes 270,000 Catholic believers who are organized in over 120 parishes.
• Watermill (At the watermill 2). The building, which now houses offices, was first put into operation as a mill in 1727. The technical equipment has not been preserved, but the neat half-timbered house is definitely worth a detour.
• Vechta windmill (Bremer Str. 31). The mill, built in 1778, has had an eventful history; two of the original grinders are still there. Can only be viewed from the outside.
• Antonianum (Willohstrasse 19). This grammar school, one of the oldest in the region, was created in 1719 from a monastery school. The stately building dates back to 1928. Some famous alumni, including Clemens August Graf von Galen. A memorial made of natural stone slabs reminds of him. (Wikipedia)
• St. Thomas College (Dominikanerweg 45). Denominational private high school run by the Dominican Order. The building was completed in 1924.

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  Antonianum

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  St. Thomas College

Monuments

Monuments to Jewish history

Vechta owns a number of Stumbling blocks, which - distributed over the city center - remember former Jewish residents of Vechta who were persecuted or murdered under National Socialism:

• Füchteler Str. 22: Family Adolf Gerson (fled to Palestine in 1939)
• Klingenhagen 16: Emanuel Gerson family (deported and murdered in 1941)
• Grosse Str. 71: Bloch family (deported to Minsk in 1941 and murdered)
• Juttastr. 5: The Marx family (deported to Auschwitz in 1943 and murdered)

Vechta had a small Jewish community in addition to the Catholic community since the 18th century. It had its maximum size in 1771 with 31 members. She owned a synagogue (where Juttastr. 4 is today), a ritual bath, a religious school and a cemetery. In 1933 there were still 17 Jewish community members living in Vechta. Adolf Gerson became its last head in 1937. All Jewish residents of Vechta either fled or were murdered during the Nazi era. After the Second World War there was no longer a Jewish community in Vechta. (History of the Jewish community of Vechta and des Jewish cemetery)

The Jewish cemetery still exists. It is located on Visbeker Straße, directly on the south side of the railway line.

Other monuments and public works of art

• On the outside wall of the former post office on the street At the Christoph-Bernhard-Bastei is the stainless steel sculpture created by Peter Kärst in 1988 "Citadels" to admire. Until 1769, the top of one of the bastions of the Vechta Citadel was located here.
• "Drivers Cross" (in a green area on the corner of Windallee / Driverstr.). Large stone cross with Christ in half relief, created in 1977 by Josef Krautwald (Rheine). The popular nickname alludes to a wooden cross that used to be at this point, which referred to the Driver family based in Vechta.

More public art can be found on Europaplatz der Great street and on the campus of the University of Vechta (see further down).

Museums and exhibitions

• Museum in the armory (Citadel 15). Medium-sized museum with exhibitions on the history of the Bronze Age, the Middle Ages and the early modern period, housed in the oldest surviving military building in the Principality of Münster, built in 1670. Open Tue-Sun 2-6 p.m. Admission € 2.50 (children from 7 € 1, families € 5). Tel. 04441/93090. (Wikipedia)
• Castrum Vechtense. This reconstruction of Vechta Castle can be found in the Citadel Park, the original of which stood where the Bee Park and the Niels-Stensen-Haus are located. Open Sat Sun 2 pm-6pm. Admission € 2 (children € 1.00, families € 4.50). (Wikipedia)
  Families with children who visit the Zeughausmuseum and If you want to visit Castrum Vechtense, you can save a few cents with the “Museum plus” tariff.
• Art i.G. - Art in prison (At the Propstei 10). In the cloister hall of the Correctional institution for women Vechta Art exhibitions have been held on a regular basis since 1993, with about 1/3 of the work coming from prisoners who work under the guidance of local artists.
• Art Association Kaponier (Grosse Str. 47A). Exhibitions with works by local and foreign artists. Information from the Vechta Cultural Office on Tel. 04441/886130.
• The Heimatverein Oythe (Oythe 16) runs a “Heimatstube” and organizes local history exhibitions. Open Thursday 4 pm–7pm.

Streets and squares

Große Straße is the traditional main and commercial street of Vechta. The city is interesting to visit because it is more tenacious than other cities of this size opposed to relocating their businesses to the arteries. Aside from a few chains and industries, retail and hospitality are actually still concentrated on this 850 m long street, which can be walked in 10 minutes. The following sights are on the way (from south to north):

• If you turn north into Kronenstrasse at the Hussel candy store, you'll find it on the next corner Explosive game, another landmark of Vechta, which in 1981 was perhaps a little too bloodthirsty for city officials to have it set up anywhere else than on this quiet side street. The bronze sculpture created by Bernard Kleinhaus shows the nasty snarling dog of the Imperial Rittmeister Lambert explosive gamewho lived on Gut Falkenrott during the Thirty Years' War (where the citadel was later built) and made a name for himself as a looter during this time.
• Europaplatz (Big street between Hotel Am Kaponier and Markt). If one were to name a single point in Vechta that is really the center of the city, it would be this busy little square. You will also find several sights that define Vechta in terms of tourism:
  • Caponier (Große Str. 47A, right behind the Hotel am Kaponier). Pentagonal defense building, which was built in 1705 as an external defense and prison of the citadel over the Moorbach. The coat of arms on the east side of the building is that of Friedrich Christian von Plettenberg, Archbishop of Münster.
  • The bronze statue created by Heinrich Faltermeyer stands directly on Europaplatz Warwick Rex, who represents the horse on which Alwin Schockemöhle, a local, at the Winter Olympics in Montreal Fought for a gold medal in 1976.
  • A popular meeting point is also located on Europaplatz City fountain. The structure, from which the water first gushes up in a small fountain, then cascades and finally flows over a bricked wide drain towards Kaponier into the Moorbach, was built in 1974.
  • Another sculpture on Europaplatz represents the Street sweeper Martin dar, a Vechta original who worked for the city from 1959 until his death in 1984 and was to be found day and night with sweepers and brooms on the Große Straße.
• Imperial Post Office (Grosse Str. 90). Impressive brick building that housed Vechta’s main post office from 1927 to 1988. Today you can find the classrooms of the Vechta Education Center.

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  Caponier

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  City fountain

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  Imperial Post Office

Parks and gardens

Vechta is a small town with an agricultural area. No matter where you are, the walk to the outskirts, where the streets turn into field, forest or meadow paths, never takes longer than 15 minutes. But Vechta also has some beautiful parks and forests in the city:

• Citadel Park. To the west of the station begins the former fortification, which today is an approximately 8-hectare park with attractive moats. Large lawns and themed gardens, including roses and other flowers. On the Wallspitze there is a viewing platform that offers a panoramic view of the entire facility. A 3 km long circular hiking trail has been laid out on the outer wall, which is planted with trees. The entire complex including the ramparts is a reconstruction; before the park was created from 1987 to 1991, there was only damp meadow area here. The city cemetery adjoins it in the southeast.
• Bee Park (Mayor-Kühling-Platz, formerly: Kapitelplatz). This peaceful little park is located on the south side of the town hall, and the old town hall with the tourist information center can also be found on the site. During excavation work for the underground car park, which is now located under the park and the adjacent buildings, remains of the medieval castle were discovered in 2005, for example where the red brick building of the geriatric rehabilitation center Niels-Stensen-Haus (Mayor-Kühling-Platz 9) stands.
  In front of the main entrance of the adjoining district court building stands Peter Lehrmann's bronze sculpture “The ride against prejudice”, created in 1983. The virgin, who here represents impartiality and integrity, proves that donkeys can ride themselves and that ducks can be tamed.
• Füchtel. Only a quarter of an hour's walk separates the Great Road from this wooded area on the eastern edge of the city.
• Puppy. Wooded area on the edge of the university in the south-east of Vechta. Right in the middle of it all is the Vechta-Welpe Golf Club.

The research garden on the campus of the University of Vechta is also worth a visit (see below).

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  Citadel Park

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  Citadel Park

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  View from Bee-Park to the district court; in the background the monastery church

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  The ride against prejudice

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  The Vechtaer Moorbach in Füchtel

activities

Culture

• Metropolitan Theater (Kolpingstrasse 27). Theater with 272 seats, in which during the season mostly foreign ensembles with musicals, drama, children's theater and the like perform irregularly. (Schedule 2014/15)
• Schauburg Cineworld (Kolpingstrasse 27). At the same address as the Metropol Theater, you will also find this multiplex cinema, the most famous piece of which is a room with 240 seats and a 14x6 meter screen. Mainstream program.
• In the courtyard of the Correctional Institution for Women Vechta (At Propstei 10) open-air concerts, operas and other things are organized several times a year. (website)
• Art library (Burgstrasse 3). More for locals than for travelers: In the town hall you will find this unusual facility, where you can borrow works of art like books elsewhere. Open Mon-Thu 8:30 am-12:30pm, 2:30 pm-4pm, Fri 8:30 am-12:30pm. Bring your identity card.
• You can have more diverse and better cinema, theater and art in larger cities than in small Vechta, of all places. But if you are looking for something that may be operated in Vechta with more commitment and with higher quality than elsewhere, you should first try the Choirs the city, which can be heard at very different venues:
  • Madrigal Choir Vechta. The City concert choir. Rehearsals in the university auditorium.
  • Vocal ensemble Marienhain. Choral society that has sacred and secular music from the Renaissance to the present in its repertoire. Robert Eilers. Tel. 04441/7746.
  • Provost Choir St. Georg. Catholic parish choir.
  • Citadel Voices. Gospel choir of District Music School Vechta.
  • Women's choir Frohsinn Oythe and Male choir Frohsinn Oythe.
  • MGV Vechtaer Liederkranz from 1861. Men's choir. Tel. 04441/5472.

Libraries

• Library of the University of Vechta (Driverstrasse 26). Open Mo – Fr 8:30 am–6pm, during the lecture period also Mo – Thu until 8pm, Sa 8:30 am–4pm. (Wikipedia)
• Catholic Public Library St. Georg (Grosse Str.34A). Open Sun 10:30 am - 12:30 pm, Mon 10 am-11:30am, Tues, Wed, Fri 3:30 pm - 6:00 pm.
• Home library for the Oldenburg Münsterland (Mayor-Kühling-Platz 3). This small specialist library is housed in the old town hall. Open Wed Fri 4 pm–6pm and by appointment. Tel. 04441/976008.
• Vechta also has one Bookcase (Neuer Markt), from which books can be borrowed free of charge. Keeping them is not a problem either, but then it is expected that a book of the same quality will be brought in as a replacement.

For frequent readers, a visit to the very beautiful one may be worthwhile Media library in Diepholz (Thouarsstrasse 19). Vechta is only 20 minutes away by car.

sport and freetime

• Indoor waves & outdoor pool Vechta (Dornbusch 45). Large indoor adventure pool in the north of Vechta with outdoor swimming pool for nice weather, designed with North Sea holiday motifs (seating niches in the style of beach chairs, sun deck, lighthouse with a children's slide, etc.). The most unusual element is an extra-wide water slide in the outdoor area. Coffee shop. Changing opening times. Entry € 3 (children € 2). Tel. 04441/81331.
• Bowling center (Lohner Str. 34). Bowling alley in the south of the city with restaurants and a couple of pool tables. Per person per game, depending on the time of day and day of the week, € 2.30–3.80. Changing opening times, closed on Mondays.
• Tennis & Squash Park Vechta (Dornbusch 49). Tennis, squash, badminton, table tennis, cafeteria. The facility is not a club and does not expect membership, but bills the use of the places by the hour. Bring clean sneakers, rackets and balls can be borrowed if necessary. Advance booking advisable. Open around the clock and every day of the year. Lessons and intensive vacation courses are also offered. Tel. 04441/6555.
• Vechta puppy golf club (Puppy 2). The club has one of the most beautiful golf courses in the region, located on the south-eastern outskirts of the city and surrounded on all sides by forest. Driving range with 22 tees, some of them covered. Anyone who has never tried golf can choose to take a taster or a beginner's course. The clubhouse serves as a café and pub and also serves dishes from the adjacent restaurant Holla, the forest fairy.
• To get in and around Vechta horse riding, you usually have to bring your own horse. The many riding stables in the surrounding area often take foreign horses into pension, but do not rent horses.
• Walking and hiking can be - depending on how long the route should be - particularly beautiful e.g. around the Citadel Park, in Füchtel and on the Picker path.
• RASTA dome (Pariser Str. 8). Opposite the shopping mile on Falkenrotter Strasse is this multi-purpose hall, which was built in 2012 and has around 2,000 seats for spectators in the second division basketball team SC RASTA Vechta plays, in which concerts and stage events also take place.

For believers

In the St. Antoniushaus (Klingenhagen 6) are at irregular intervals Exercises hosted. Events here or on Tel. 04441/999190.

Stubble market and other events

• The Stubble market in the north of Vechta takes place every year in mid-August and is one of the largest fairs in northern Germany. It starts with a parade through the city center of Vechta. 23 large rides, many more showmen and a restaurant hall. Parking for around 30,000 cars; Special trains from Oldenburg, Osnabrück and Bremen that stop directly at the Stoppelmarkt. (Wikipedia)
• The second big annual event in Vechta is held in mid-June Shooting Festival. Eagle shooting, children's program, dance nights, pageant.

shop

Downtown

• The traditional shopping street of Vechta is the Big street downtown. There you can find, among other things:
  • Krümpelbeck (Grosse Str. 38, corner of Am Markt). Toy store with a long tradition.
  • Photo Erhardt (Grosse Str. 65). Photo shop. Branch of a regional chain.
  • SchuhWerk (Grosse Str. 73). Independently run shoe shop.
  • Vatterodt (Grosse Str. 58), Plaggenborg (Große Str. 81), VMG Vechtaer Medien GmbH / Reading marks (Grosse Str. 96). Three bookstores.
  • Sweet department store (Grosse Str. 83). Vechta traditional address.
  • Karl Konerding (Grosse Str. 89). Independent specialist shop for paper and stationery.
  • C&A (Grosse Str. 92-94). The largest fashion department store in Vechta.

• Weekly market. On Wednesdays and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 12 noon, there is a weekly market on the Neuer Markt opposite the train station, where local producers offer fresh fruit, vegetables, flowers, butchery and bakery products.

More business centers

In addition to Grosse Strasse, Vechta has several other small business centers in which supermarkets and larger specialist stores are also located. Starting in the north and then going clockwise:

• In the southern part of the Oldenburger StrasseThere is a Combi supermarket (Oldenburger Str. 28), a Lidl supermarket (Oldenburger Str. 19–21), and the electronics store around the corner, just a 5-minute walk from Grosse Strasse Expert Bening (Falkenrotter Str. 20) and the Takko fashion store (Falkenrotter Str. 73).
• Around the corner Bremer Str./Ravensberger Str.There is a large Edeka supermarket (Ravensberger Str. 27), the bakery, 450 m northeast of Grosse Strasse Meyer's mill (Bremer Str. 24) and the Karsten Wilde perfumery (Oyther Str. 6).
• At the Oyther Street In the north-east of Vechta there are a number of other retailers, including a drinks market (Oyther Str. 36) Bussmann-Möbelmarkt (Oyther Str. 25) and a Netto supermarket (Oyther Str. 85)
• Another commercial area is located 1 km south of the Große Straße on the Lohner Street: Aldi supermarket (Diepholzer Str. 1), Combi supermarket (Münsterstr. 77), hardware store hammer (Lohner Str. 15), fashion and toy shop Children & Co. (Lohner Str. 32).
• The most important car-friendly shopping area is the Falkenrotter Strasse in the west of the city, on the edge of the B69 bypass; there are, among other things, a Famila supermarket, an Obi hardware store and the Nemann furniture store.
• On the lower Falkenweg, 1 km northwest of the Grosse Strasse, is the largest inner-city shopping center, which is also easy to park. Rewe supermarket (Falkenweg 4), Aldi supermarket (Falkenweg 6), Deichmann shoe store (Falkenweg 3–5)
• Im Gewerbegebiet westlich des Stoppelmarkts, besonders an der Gutenbergstraße, liegen einige weitere große Anbieter wie das Gartencenter Ostmann (Oldenburger Str. 122), der Second-Hand-Markt Bert Schrader (Gutenbergstr. 1), in dem Sparsame gebrauchte Kleidung nach Gewicht kaufen können, der Sonderpostenladen Thomas Philipps (Gutenbergstr. 2) und das Möbel- und Inneneinrichtungskaufhaus tedox (Gutenbergstraße 6).

kitchen

Die kleine Gastronomieszene von Vechta konzentriert sich weitgehend auf den Bereich rund um die Große Straße und hat die Ankunft des Internets (mitsamt der Möglichkeit, dort durch Selbstdarstellung auch Auswärtige auf sich aufmerksam zu machen) bisher noch weitgehend verschlafen. Ausprobieren also und Eindrücke und Erfahrungen an Wikivoyage weitergeben.

Cafés und Eisdielen

• Cortina Eis (Große Str. 55), Eiscafé Dolce Vita (Große Str. 95) und Ginos Eiscafé (Am Markt 8). Drei Eisdielen.
• Gut Füchtel (Gut Füchtel 3). Familienbetrieb, der neben Pferdezucht und Pferdeausbildung auch ein Café/Bistro betreibt.
• Theilmann-Café (Große Str. 37). Bäckerei-Café. Niederlassung einer kleinen regionalen Kette. Sonntags Frühstücksbüfett.

Preiswert

• Darma Kumpir (Große Str. 28). Türkisches Schnellrestaurant, das auf gebackene Kartoffeln spezialisiert ist. Wem der Sinn nach konventioneller türkischer Fastfood-Küche steht, findet in Vechta auch dafür Adressen, z.B.: City Döner (Füchteler Str. 3), Istanbul Imbiss & Pizzeria (Münsterstr. 35) und Amed Imbiss (Driverstr. 17).
• Happy Lounge (Große Str. 39). Café-Bar-Schnellrestaurant, in dem man Frühstück, Folienkartoffeln, Baguetten, Schnitzel, Bratwurst und einige amerikanisch anmutende Gerichte bekommt. Eine weitere Niederlassung dieser Minikette befindet sich in Lohne.
• Mamma Mia (Große Str. 24). Pizzeria, in der, um es allen recht zu machen, auch italienische Pastagerichte, Gyros, Döner Pita, Aufläufe, Baguetten und Schnitzel angeboten werden.
• Manufaktur (Große Str. 41) und Café am Campus (Feldmannskamp 1). Restaurants und Konditoreien des Andreaswerks, einer gemeinnützigen Vechtaer Institution, die in ihren Einrichtungen Menschen mit Behinderungen integriert und beschäftigt. Frühstück und Mittagessen (deutsche Hausmannskost; täglich wechselnde Gerichte: eines mit Fleisch oder Fisch, das zweite vegetarisch).
• Markt 4 (Markt 4). Café und Bistro. Frühstück, Appetizer, Salate, Pasta, Fleischgerichte, Baguettes, Flammkuchen.

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• Antokya (Juttastr. 6). Urig eingerichtetes Restaurant, das es mit seiner jugoslawisch-griechisch-türkisch-italienischen Küche allen recht zu machen versucht. (Speisekarte)
• Holla, die Waldfee (Welpe 1). Deftige, ansatzweise innovative deutsche Küche in rustikalem Ambiente. Das am Stadtrand gelegene Restaurant war 2014 Schauplatz einer Folge der RTL2-Reality-Show Die Kochprofis, konnte sich mit dem damaligen Konzept aber nicht halten und hat inzwischen ein neues Management bekommen.
• Jade Garden (Oldenburger Str. 4). Nüchtern eingerichtetes Restaurant mit umfangreichem chinesischem Menü. (Speisekarte)
• Taj-Mahal (Große Str. 46). Das einzige Restaurant in Vechta mit indischer Küche.

Upscale

• Elmendorffburg (Burgstr. 4). Schickes Restaurant mit einem Menü, das – offenbar um es allen recht zu machen – einen verzweifelten Spagat zwischen Mediterran, Asiatisch, Fastfood, Nachhaltig und Gutbürgerlich versucht. Interessanter als die Speisekarte ist auf jeden Fall das Gebäude, das 1831 im klassizistischen Stil als Sitz des Freiherrngeschlecht derer von Elmendorff errichtet wurde, denen seit 1331 das Gut Füchtel gehörte.
• Gasthaus Jansen (Auf dem Hagen 27). Am südwestlichen Rande von Vechta gelegen ist dieses in einem schönen Fachwerkhaus untergebrachte Restaurant zu finden, das gepflegte gutbürgerliche Küche mit saisonalen Zutaten bietet. Hinter dem Haus liegt übrigens das größte stehende Gewässer von Vechta, ein von Bäumen umsäumter Baggersee, hinter dem garstig der 72 Meter hohe Schornstein der Olfry Ziegelwerke aufragt.
• Tapas & Co (Bremer Str. 1-3). Im Hausrestaurant des Hotels Bremer Tor werden spanische Tapas und mexikanische Küche serviert.

Essen mit Unterhaltungsprogramm

• Fizz (Beim alten Flugplatz 18). Im Gewerbegebiet südwestlich des Zitadellenparks liegt dieses Lokal, das auf größere Events wie z.B. Hochzeiten, Banketts und Konzerte spezialisiert ist, aber auch eigene Veranstaltungen organisiert, wie mittelalterliche Tafelrunden, Themen-Weihnachtsfeiern, Spargel- oder Grünkohlessen, Dinnerkrimis u.a.m.

nightlife

• Hausbrauerei Stierbräu (Kreuzweg 9). Kleinbrauerei, die ihre Produkte hier im Laden verkauft und im populären eigenen Brewpub auch ausschenkt.
• Banane (Große Str. 1). Populäre große Kneipe mit studentischem Publikum. Mi 21–23 Happy Hour und sehr voll dann. Oft Live-Musik.
  Alternativen sind die Meyerei (Große Str. 3), das Blue (Große Str. 15) und das Stadtgespräch (Große Str. 16).
• Cubar (Große Str. 8). Der Nightlife-Spot im Zentrum von Vechta. Cocktailbar & Lounge. Mi-Sa ab 19 Uhr.
• Verace (Große Str. 53). Café und Cocktailbar.
• Wunderbar (Lohner Str. 17). Bar mit Tanzbereich und studentischem Publikum. Gespielt wird House und Rhythm & Blues. Geöffnet Mi, Do, Fr.
• Zum alten Pferdestall (Juttastr. 1). Beliebte Kneipe.

Leider keine lesbisch-schwule Szene. Für die fährt man am besten nach Bremen or Minden.

accommodation

Die Hotels in Vechta sind ausnahmslos bereits etwas angejahrt. Direkt am Bahnhof, am „Neuen Markt“, entsteht im Rahmen des Wohn- und Verkehrsprojekts „Neue Mobilität am Park“ gegenwärtig ein modernes Hotel („Ibis Styles“) mit gut 80 Zimmern, das im Februar 2019 fertig werden soll.

Preiswert

• Hotel am Neuen Markt (Neuer Markt 20). Kleines Mittelklassehotel mit 13 Zimmern, untergebracht im einzigen Hochhaus der Stadt (5 Etagen!). Ab € 43. Frühstücksbüfett kostet extra. Einer der wenigen Orte in Vechta mit kostenlosem WiFi.
• Hotel am Pferdezentrum (Lohner Straße 22). Hotel mit 20 etwas rustikal eingerichteten Doppelzimmern im Süden der Stadt. EZ ab € 54, DZ ab € 74 (Stand: 2016). Frühstücksbüfett inbegriffen.
• Schäfers Hotel (Große Straße 115). Zentral gelegenes, populäres kleines Hotel mit 15 Zimmern in unterschiedlichen Größen (1-Bett bis Familienzimmer). Ab € 59. Frühstücksbüfett kostet extra.
• Hotel Villa Linda (Bremer Str. 19). Zentrumsnah gelegenes Minihotel. EZ € 55, DZ € 75; Frühstück kostet pro Person 5 Euro extra (Stand: 2016). Tel. 4441/8879656.

Weitere sehr preiswerte Unterkünfte findet man in Langförden.

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• Hotel Am Kaponier (Große Str. 47). Mittelklassehotel mit 29 rustikal eingerichteten Zimmern. Ab € 65. Tel. 04441/9232-0.
• Hotel Bremer Tor (Bremer Str. 1-3). Das erste Haus am Platze, zentrumsnah gelegen. 39 unterschiedlich große, modern eingerichtete Einheiten (1-Bett bis Suite oder Apartment). EZ ab € 57, DZ ab € 77 (Preise genau nachfragen, weil die je nach Auslastung schwanken). Frühstücksbüfett inbegriffen, Parken in der Tiefgarage kostet extra.

Ferienwohnungen

• Gästehaus Gut Füchtel (Gut Füchtel 4) und Gästehaus Gut Welpe (Welpe 5); Lage vorher in der Karte genau studieren, sonst etwas schwer zu finden. Jeweils gut 2 km außerhalb des Zentrums, in den Waldgebieten Füchtel bzw. Welpe, liegen diese beiden nur äußerlich rustikalen Häuser mit jeweils 5 Ferienwohnungen. Die top-gepflegten Wohnungen sind thematisch individuell gestaltet und modern und sehr aufwendig und flott eingerichtet. Wohnzimmer mit Kaminofen, voll eingerichtete Küche mit Spülmaschine (aber ohne Mikrowelle), sehr komfortable Bäder mit Fußbodenheizung und einer Waschmaschine, die auch trocknen kann. Ab € 80, plus Kosten für Endreinigung. Anmietung nicht nur wochen-, sondern auch tageweise möglich. Die Autorin dieser Seite hat eine der Wohnungen Ende 2016 getestet und fand sie um Lichtjahre attraktiver als die in Vechta angebotenen Hotelzimmer, besonders für Gäste, die es ruhig und gleichzeitig schön und komfortabel wollen. Die Wohnungen gehören der Familie von Merveldt, die von denen Einheimischen anerkennend und liebevoll „der Graf“ und „der Gräfin“ genannt werden, und die bei der Gestaltung der Wohnungen ausgezeichneten Geschmack und ebenso Sinn fürs Praktische und Angenehme bewiesen haben.

Tagungsstätten, Gruppenunterkünfte und Camping

• St. Antoniushaus (Klingenhagen 6). Katholische Exerzitien- und Tagungsstätte. Interessierte Veranstalter können hier Konferenzräume, Unterkunft (mehrheitlich Einzelzimmer) und Verpflegung für bis zu 46 Teilnehmer buchen. Wenn das Haus nicht ausgebucht ist, werden auch individuelle Reisende aufgenommen. Anfragen unter 04441/99919-0 bzw. [email protected].
• Schulklassen und ähnliche Gruppen können in den drei Gästehäusern und auf den Zeltplätzen des katholischen BDKH-Jugendhofs unterkommen.

Leider kein öffentlicher Campingplatz in Vechta. Die nächsten befinden sich in Goldenstedt und in Visbek. Die nächste DJH-Jugendherberge gibt es in Damme.

Learn

Hochschulen

• Universität Vechta (Driverstr. 22). Im Südosten von Vechta liegt der kleine Campus der jungen Universität, an der u.a. interessante Fächer wie Dienstleistungsmanagement, Gerontologie, Wirtschaft & Ethik, Geographien ländlicher Räume und Kultureller Wandel studiert werden können. (Wikipedia) Wer Lehrveranstaltungen aus rein persönlichem Interesse, d.h. ohne Erwerb von Leistungsscheinen, belegen möchte, kann sich für 50 € pro Semester als Gasthörer einschreiben.
  Das Unigelände ist auch Standort einiger Sehenswürdigkeiten:
  • Zeichen im Wind ist der Name einer Projektgruppe des Künstlers und Kunstlehrenden Karl-Eckhard Carius, die u.a. die auffällige, 4,80 m hohe aus Edelstahlblech gearbeitete Plastik eines gegen den Wind laufenden Jünglings („Himmelsstürmer“) geschaffen hat, die auf dem Dach des Gebäudes W K zu sehen ist.
  • Auf einem Platz vor der Uni, auf der Seite Driverstraße, steht seit 1970 eine von Jürgen Weber geschaffene Bronzeskulptur der Göttin Athene, die ja eine Kopfgeburt Zeus’ war.
  • Eine weitere Sehenswürdigkeit auf dem Campus ist der 1983 eröffnete Findlingsgarten des Fachs Geografie, in dem man 46 große Steinbrocken studieren kann, die alle mit erläuternden Tafeln versehen sind.
  • Der 2500 m² große Forschungsgarten (im Zentrum des Campus am Rande des Parkplatzes P2) des Fachs Biologie wurde 2007 für künftige Sachkundelehrer angelegt und zeigt, wie ein Schulgarten genutzt werden kann, um ein harmonisches Miteinander von Gartenbau und Naturpflege zu lehren.
• Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Technik (Rombergstr. 40). Kleine Privathochschule im Südwesten von Vechta. (Wikipedia)

Für Schulklassen

• biocache Lernpfad Vechta. Umweltprojekt, bei dem Schüler und Erwachsene mit elektronischen Hilfsmitteln eine Schnitzeljagd durch die Vechtaer Umgebung unternehmen, um über Entsiegelung, Windenergie, Lärmschutz, nachwachsene Rohstoffe und andere Themen aus den Bereichen Ökologie und Umweltschutz zu lernen.

Für Erwachsene

• Kreisvolkshochschule Vechta (Bahnhofstr. 1). Englisch, Französisch, Spanisch, Ölmalerei, Bildhauerei, Gitarre, Nähen, Computerkompetenz, und vieles mehr für Junge und Alte.
• Bildungswerk Vechta (Große Str. 90). Dem Christentum nahestehender eingetragener Verein, der Erwachsenenbildung in einer ganzen Bandbreite von Fächern und Sachgebieten anbietet. Interessante Kurse auch für junge Eltern und für Senioren.

Kunst, Musik, Tanzen

• Kreismusikschule Vechta (Marienstr. 4). Musikunterricht aller Art für alle Generationen.
• tanzstudio in motion (Kolpingstr. 42). Kleine Privatschule für Kindertanz, Jazz, Hip Hop, (Kinder-) Ballett, Fitness und (Erwachsenen-) Yoga. In den Sommerferien werden Workshops angeboten, an denen auch Nicht-Mitglieder teilnehmen können.
• Tanzschule Sandmann (Münsterstr. 36). Welttanzprogramm, Discofox, Hip Hop, Zumba, Benimmkurse und mehr für Erwachsene, Teenager und Kinder, in der Gruppe oder privat.

Reiten

Viele der Pferdehöfe rund um Vechta bieten Reitunterricht an, darunter z.B.:

• Gut Füchtel (Gut Füchtel 2).
• Pferdehof Gramann (Vor dem Moore 2).
• Reiterverein Vechta (Einer Str. 7).
• Reitstall Rötepohl (Fasanenstr. 36). Therapeutisches Reiten.

health

• Marienhospital (Marienstr. 6-8). Krankenhaus mitten in der Stadt, das rund um die Uhr an 365 Tagen im Jahr auch Notfallpatienten aufnehmen und versorgen kann. Die katholische Einrichtung ist akademisches Lehrkrankenhaus der Medizinischen Hochschule Hannover.
• Wo zahnärztlicher Notdienst zu erhalten ist, erfährt man bei der Kassenzahnärztlichen Vereinigung Niedersachsen unter 04441/4100.
• Notdienstapotheken findet man u.a. here.

Practical advice

The Tourist-Information Nordkreis Vechta e.V. hat ihren Sitz im alten Rathaus (Bürgermeister-Kühling-Platz 3, ehemals: Kapitelplatz 3), im Bee-Park hinter der Elmendorffburg. Tel. 04441/858612.

Einen Waschsalon mit Münzwaschmaschinen gibt es trotz der vielen Studenten leider in ganz Vechta nicht. Da bleibt nur Handwaschen im Hotelzimmer oder ein Gang zur nächsten chemischen Reinigung (Berendsen, Robert-Bosch-Str. 1; Kallmeier, Bremer Tor 11; Marcus, Münsterstr. 5; Oevermann, Füchteler Str. 5).

• Deutsche Post (Kolpingstr. 3–5). Geöffnet Mo-Fr 9–12:30, 14:30–18 Uhr, Sa 9–12:30 Uhr.
• Ältere Semester treffen sich freitags um 14 Uhr im Kaiserlichen Postamt (Große Str. 90) allwöchentlich zum Senioren-Internetcafé.
• Kostenlose WiFi-Hotspots findet man u.a. auf dem Europaplatz/Alter Markt, bei McDonalds in der Friesenstraße und im Autohaus Anders (Karl-Friedrich-Benz-Str. 7).

trips

Im Uhrzeigersinn, im Norden beginnend:

• Visbek, Megalithgräber
• Goldenstedt, Naturschutzgebiet Goldenstedter Moor, Hartensbergsee (Badesee)
• Diepholz, Wasserschloss
• Lohne, Wallfahrtskapelle St.-Anna-Klus, Industriemuseum
• Dinklage mit dem Kloster Burg Dinklage
• Quakenbrück, viele schöne Fachwerkhäuser
• Bakum, Ziegeleimuseum Gut Daren
• Essen, ehemaliges Herrenhaus Gut Lage
• Cloppenburg, berühmtes Museumsdorf
• Emstek, Urwald Baumweg, Halener Badesee

literature

• Jürgen Woltmann: Vechta: Stadt und Landkreis im Oldenburger Münsterland, Isensee, 2011, ISBN 3899957814

Web links

• https://www.vechta.de – Offizielle Webseite von Vechta
• VechtaBlog Neues aus der Weltstadt mit Pferd
• Veranstaltungskalender Vechta