Detmold is a city in the Teutoburg Forest region of Western Germany.
Detmold used to be the capital of the petty Principality of Lippe that was transformed into a republic in 1918 and merged into the state of North Rhine-Westphalia in 1947. The former state still has its own regional identity and a separate Protestant territorial church. Nowadays, the city of some 75,000 inhabitants is seat of the administrative region of East Westphalia and Lippe (Ostwestfalen-Lippe, or OWL), which is equivalent to the Teutoburg Forest tourism region.
Teutoburg Forest is the name of a low mountain range that begins right on the southwestern borders of the city. It was presumed by 19th century historians to be identic with the saltus Teutoburgiensis of Roman annals, site of a decisive battle between Roman troops commanded by general Publius Quinctilius Varus and a confederation of Teutonic tribes under the leadership of the Cheruscian lord Arminius (whose name was later Germanised to "Hermann") in 9 AD. "Hermann the Cheruscian" was idealised as a German national hero during the 19th century spirit of romantic nationalism. More recently, archeological digs have identified the actual site of the battle, Kalkriese hill, near Osnabrück and Minden.
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- Old town with historical half-timbered houses
- Hermannsdenkmal. daily, March – October 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., November – February 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. 53 metre high monument with a larger-than-life statue of Arminius, chieftain of the Cheruscians who led the united Teutonic forces against the Romans in the battle of the Teutoburg Forest in 9 AD. It was designed by Ernst von Bandel in 1837 during the period of Germany's "search for a national identity" and completed in 1875 after Germany had become a nation-state. There is a "little brother" of the Hermann Monmument created by German emigrants in New Ulm, Minnesota. admission 3 €, children 1 €.
- Fürstliches Residenzschloss.
- LWL-Freilichtmuseum. Regional open-air museum
- Lippisches Landesmuseum. Historical half-timbered building from the 16th century, originally used as a granary, now hosts the region's longest-standing museum with collections of natural history, prehistory, regional history, folklife and everyday culture in the former state of Lippe.
Old town with historical half-timbered houses
Hermannsdenkmal. daily, March – October 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., November – February 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. 53 metre high monument with a larger-than-life statue of Arminius, chieftain of the Cheruscians who led the united Teutonic forces against the Romans in the battle of the Teutoburg Forest in 9 AD. It was designed by Ernst von Bandel in 1837 during the period of Germany's "search for a national identity" and completed in 1875 after Germany had become a nation-state. There is a "little brother" of the Hermann Monmument created by German emigrants in [[New Ulm]], Minnesota. admission 3 €, children 1 €.
Fürstliches Residenzschloss.
LWL-Freilichtmuseum. Regional open-air museum
Lippisches Landesmuseum. Historical half-timbered building from the 16th century, originally used as a granary, now hosts the region's longest-standing museum with collections of natural history, prehistory, regional history, folklife and everyday culture in the former state of Lippe.
- Adlerwarte Berlebeck. Bird park hosting 46 different species of raptors from five continents and offering shows several times a day.
- Landestheater.
Adlerwarte Berlebeck. Bird park hosting 46 different species of raptors from five continents and offering shows several times a day.
Landestheater.
- Externsteine, Horn-Bad Meinberg (12 km south of Detmold. Distinctive and bizarre sandstone rock formation. They form a several hundred metre long rocky line with 13 especially outstanding rocks. Before Christianisation, the site was used by the old Saxons for pagan rites.
- Blomberg Castle. Medieval castle begun in the 13th century and continually remodeled during the following times. Its Gothic gate has been preserved and therefore has a fortified character from the outside, while from the inside it rather looks like a Renaissance-style chateau.
- Blomberg. Romantic old town with half-timbered houses, medieval castle and gate.
Externsteine, Horn-Bad Meinberg (12 km south of Detmold. Distinctive and bizarre sandstone rock formation. They form a several hundred metre long rocky line with 13 especially outstanding rocks. Before Christianisation, the site was used by the old Saxons for pagan rites.
Blomberg Castle. Medieval castle begun in the 13th century and continually remodeled during the following times. Its Gothic gate has been preserved and therefore has a fortified character from the outside, while from the inside it rather looks like a Renaissance-style chateau.
Blomberg. Romantic old town with half-timbered houses, medieval castle and gate.