On 1 July 1969 the town's surrounding areas: Alstätte, Bockelsdorf, Bombeck, Dörholt, Gantweg, Gerleve, Hamern, Lutum, Osthellen, Osthellermark and Westhellen - each part of former "Kirchspiel Aulendorf", Esking, Langenhorst und Temming - each part of former Beerlage - were merged with Billerbeck.
Politics
Town council
26 Seats of the town council were given to different parties at local elections on 26 September 2004:
The Coat of Arms shows the three rivers Berkel, Haulingbach and Lilienbeck in silver on blue background. Its origin can be traced back to the medieval Knights of Billerbeck.
Sistercity
Englewood, Ohio
Culture and Sights
Theatre
In 1950 the citizens Alex Hesselmann and Bernhard Engbers founded the open air-theatre of Billerbeck. It is well known for its high class acting, given that there are only non-professional actors.
Museums
The Kolvenburg comprises building parts from the 15th and 16th centuries. This kind of mansion with its half-hipp roof is a typical housing of the lower nobility of the Münsterland. Today it is the cultural centre of the district of Coesfeld showing changing exhibitions.
Buildings
St. Ludgerus Church
Cath. Church of St. Johannis
Kolvenburg
Town Hall, Markt 1. Neogothic building with blending made of sandstone, 1891, erected by Hilger Hertel. Enlargement in 1948/49.
Former residence of the Arch Deacon of Billerbeck, Johanniskirchplatz 11. L-formed massive building with hipped roof, in earlier times surrounded by water. The oldest parts were erected in the early 16th century and enlarged in 1679.
*MÜNSTERSTR. 16.: the northern part and the back are from the 16th century. Inside there is a chimney/fireplace from 1693 in a late renaissance style
*MÜNSTERSTR. 25.: The backhouse dates to the 16th century.
The old church of St. Johannis is completely surrounded by simple styled half-timbered buildings. The oldest date from the late medieval age but have been re-arranged several times. Street: JOHANNSIKIRCHHOF 2, 1513 d. - Nr. 7, 1492 d.
Billerbeck can be reached by car via the autobahn. From north-east on autobahn A1 at interchange "Havixbeck/Billerbeck", from south on autobahn A43 at interchange "Nottuln/Billerbeck", from west on autobahn A31 at interchange "Coesfeld".
Public Transport
Billerbeck is located on the train line from Münster to Coesfeld, the so-called "tree hills line". The modernised station building offers a café for cultural Events and a bicycle rental station. A further train station in Billerbeck is located in Lutum, which is a countryside train station. The town of Billerbeck is part of the public transport association of the Münsterland VGM. Therefore, some bus lines also stop at Billerbeck, connecting the town to its neighbouring towns and cities.
Business
The biggest employer in Billerbeck is the company Dr. Suwelack founded by Wolfgang Suwelack and which employs 410 staff. It is working on the sector of nutrition production and skin care. It is also operating one of the most advanced and biggest nutrition shockfrosting sites in Europe. A medium-sized metal-working industry can be found there as well as several trading companies, and service industry. Billerbeck is an important centre of tourism as it is only half-an-hour away for the 7 million people of the Rhein-Ruhr-Area and it is also a place of pilgrimage as Ludger, the first bishop of Münster, died there in the year 809. Last but not least cycling is very popular in the region which is manifested in 800 kilometres of bicycle and pedestrian streets. For these reasons the gastronomy is well developed and offers a great variety related to the city's number of inhabitants. Hotels / Restaurants / Bistros:
Restaurant Hahnenkamp
Hotel Weißenburg
Domschenke Groll
Tagungshotel Billerbecker Hof
Bürgerhaus Möllmann-Daldrup
Hotel Homoet
Cox Orange
u.a.
Cafés:
Billerbeck's Bahnhof
Domcafé Frede
Eiscafé de Fanti
Café Kunstleben
and further more
Education
In Billerbeck there are the Grundschule at two locations, the Realschule and a Hauptschule. 5 Kindergartens and 2 day care units are operated in the city.
Religion
In Billerbeck there are Roman Catholic and Lutheran churches present. The Catholic Pfarr- und Propsteigemeinde St. Johann / St. Ludgerus Billerbeck has its roots in the 8th century. Very renowned and with great importance far ahead of Billerbeck there is the abbey of Benedictine- St. Joseph at Billerbeck-Gerleve. It is part of the Beuron congregation and since 1999 has been led by prior Pius Engelbert O.S.B. The abbey also contains a house for retreat, a youth education unit, and a religious book store. The Lutheran church centre "Vom guten Hirten" in Billerbeck is a modern style church with affiliated centre of parish.
Literature
Westfälischer Städteatlas; Band: VI; 1 Teilband. Im Auftrage der Historischen Kommission für Westfalen und mit Unterstützung des Landschaftsverbandes Westfalen-Lippe, hrsg. von Heinz Stoob † und Wilfried Ehbrecht. Stadtmappe Billerbeck, Author: Peter Ilisch. ; Dortmund-Altenbeken, 1999.
Peter Ilisch, Zur Siedlungsgenese von Billerbeck. Westfälische Zeitschrift 129, 1979, S. 9-56. Peter Ilisch, Zum Erscheinungsbild münsterländischer Kirchhöfe vor 1800 - Das Beispiel St. Johann zu Billerbeck. Geschichtsblätter des Kreises Coesfeld 4, 1979, S. 114-131. Peter Ilisch, Die Vikarien zu Billerbeck. Geschichtsblätter des Kreises Coesfeld 28, 2003, S. 1-25.
