Iserlohn

By plane

The closest airport is in Dortmund, about 25 km away.

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.

By car

If you are travelling by car, Iserlohn can be reached by using the motorway (Autobahn) A 46.

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.

Iserlohn offers various different things to see and do:

Sights and landmarks

• Danzturmformer semaphore tower with a nice view over the city. It can be visited (and climbed) during the opening hours of the neighbouring restaurant.

• Dechenhöhleand 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.

• Seilerseesmall water supply dam; lake not for swimming, but boating is fine and the boat hire open during the summer months.

Industrial heritage

• Maste-BarendorfIndustrial 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 Bimbergguided tours and Schnaps tastings on request.

• Altstadt quarter/Obere Mühle

Churches

• St. Aloysiusneo-roman basilica completed in 1895.

• Oberste Stadtkirchegothic church dating from the 14th century.

• BauernkircheOldest building in town. The now-Protestant church dates from around 1000.

• St. Kilianthis neogothic hall church dates from 1914. It possesses a relic from Saint John Paul II.

Art

• Villa Wessel

  address: Gartenstraße 31
  Exhibitions of modern and contemporary art are displayed

• Städtische Galerie

  address: 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

  address: Bahnhofsplatz 2

• 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

  address: Seeuferstr. 25
  local first league ice hockey team play in the ice stadium

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.

• 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.

• LiteraturhotelAn 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.

• Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten4

* superior hotel located on the banks of the Seilersee.

• RuhrtalblickCamp site

• Heinrichshöhle

  address: Hemer
  Limestone cave with fossiles and sceletons of primeval animals.

• Hagen
• Dortmund
• Lüdenscheid
• Arnsberg