Bielefeld Things to Do

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As already detailed in my previous tip, the Olderdissen Tierpark is a very nice and huge zoo in Bilefeld. The entrance here is free, however donations are welcome. One of the rare things I came across in this zoo was the insect hotel that seemed very interesting to me. The snow covered lanes and ducks swimming on the frozen pond was also interesting. It was the christmeas time and the time for Gluhwein and various rides for children. Those are some more good memories. It was freezing cold.

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The Olderdissen Tierpark is a zoo in Bielefeld, set in natural landscape, hills, water and jungle and houses quite a few varieties of animals and bird and also insects. It is about 5 kilometers from the city centre and the road leading to it is also very beautiful. There is a huge parking space for vehicles and parking is free and so also is the entrance.

It is a very popular destination fro families with children and a very learning experience for kids. There are more than 430 animals of 100 different species in this zoo. The area of the zoo is about 15 acres and therefor quite huge. It is a place of mutual respect and love between the nature, the animals and the visitors. During the time I visited, it was quite cold and parts of the zoo were under a little snow and some parts were iced and very slippery. Hence, beware.

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Neustädter Marienkirche is the largest church in the small German town of Bielefeld and it dates back to 1293 when the construction was started. However it took many years to complete until 1512. It is about 256 feet in height tall. This church has played an important role in history as it was here that the Protestant Reformation started. The original spires were detroyed in World War II bombings and the current clock towers came as a replacement much later.

Like the adjoining Laborschule, the Oberstufenkolleg is an experimental school that was founded in 1974 by Prof. Hartmut von Hentig, in hopes of providing new impulses for the somewhat stagnant German school system.

It is located directly on the Bielefeld University campus, and prepares young adults (ages 16-27) for academic studies.

This "experimental school" is well-known in German educational circles. It was founded in 1974 by Prof. Hartmut von Hentig, who was the Director of Research of until 1987.

Theoretically they would like to have a cross-section of the Bielefeld population attending this school, but because it is located directly on the campus it is very popular with parents who work at the university, and the percentage of pupils from working-class or migrant families is much lower than intended.

Some of the "experiments" they have done at this school are things that have been standard practice in other countries for many years, such as having morning and afternoon classes (most German schools close at one p.m.), no homework, lunch at school, mixed-age and mixed-ability classes, no grades in the first few years, etc.

This sort of thing is just now starting to catch on in Germany, now that the well-publicized PISA tests, meaning the Program for International Student Assessment, have confirmed that the German school system as a whole is not doing a very good job of educating its pupils. (Finland came out on top, by the way.)

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If this doesn't look like a centuries-old university with ivy halls and venerable traditions, that's because it's not. It was founded in 1969 as a "new type of university" combining "classical academic tradition with innovative research and teaching."

The university currently has about 18,000 students. There are thirteen faculties and several specialized institutes such as the The Center for Interdisciplinary Research (ZiF).

Second photo: Entrance to the campus.

Third photo: Entrance to the main university building. Most of the faculties and institutes are here, "under one roof", in a large building with several wings.

Fourth photo: This is wing V, which houses the Faculty of Mathematics.

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Bielefeld's Old City Hall (Altes Rathaus) is right next door to the theater and was built around the same time, 1904. The Mayor's office is still in the Old City Hall, but most of the city administration is now in the adjoining New City Hall that was built from 1979 to 1988.

The addition of the New City Hall became necessary in 1973 when a number of outlying communities were incorporated into the city of Bielefeld, which thus doubled in population. It now has about 330,000 people.

Second photo: Looking up at the Old City Hall.

The Linen Weaver Statue created by Perathoner in 1909 is a symbol of Bielefeld's economic development, which started with the processing of linen.

Sparrenburg Castle and the Linen Weaver are Bielefeld's best-known landmarks.