Every design for Hamm

Hamm lies where the Lippe crosses the north-eastern edge of the Ruhr, with the Münsterland on one side of the river and the open Hellweg country rising gently to the south. The Lippe runs right through the city alongside the Datteln-Hamm-Kanal, and in the Kurpark the little Ahse slips beneath the canal on its way to join it.

What sets Hamm apart is the railway. Its station is a major hub, known for its distinctive building, and the marshalling yard was once among the largest in Europe – trains have shaped daily life here since the first one stopped in 1847. The city is also home to Germany's largest higher regional court, and it was a Hanseatic town while its future Ruhr neighbours were still villages. A free afternoon might mean a ride on the Museumseisenbahn Hamm, a walk out to Schloss Heessen or an hour in the Gustav-Lübcke-Museum.

If you changed trains in Hamm a hundred times before you ever stayed, or if you know exactly which of the seven districts you mean when you say home, this map is for you.