Münster (Groß-Deutschland)

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Münster Münster
Münster (Groß-Deutschland)
Administration
Country	Germany
State	Invalid state: "Westfalen"
Regierungsbezirk	Münster
District	{{#switch:Stadt	Stadt	Kreisfreie Stadt=Urban district	#default = Urban district
City subdivisions	5 boroughs
Lord Mayor	Berthold Tillmann (CDU)
Governing parties	CDU / FDP / SDP
Basic statistics
Area	302.89 km² (116.9 sq mi)
Elevation	60 m  (197 ft)
Population	272,951  (31 December 2007)
- Density	901 /km² (2,334 /sq mi)
Founded	793
Other information
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Licence plate	M
Postal codes	80331–81929
Area code	089
Website	www.muenster.de

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Münster ( [ˈmʏnstɐ] ) is an independent city and capital of in Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural center of the Westphalia region and it is also capital of the government region Regierungsbezirk Münster. It is most well known as the location of the Anabaptist rebellion during the Protestant Reformation, as the site of the signing of the Treaty of Westphalia ending the Thirty Years' War in 1648 and as bicycle capital of Germany.

Münster gained the status of a Großstadt (major city) with more than 100,000 inhabitants in 1915. Currently there are around 270,000 people living in the city, with about 48,500 students of whom only a part are reflected by the official population statistics having their primary residence in Münster.

Münster's economy is mainly based on service companies and public administrations. Additionally, Münster is seat of eight universities and colleges as well as important courts such as the constitutional court and the higher administrative court for North Rhine-Westphalia.

Founded in 793 by Frisian Ludger, who gained episcopal consecration as the first bishop of the diocese Münster in 805. His successors held power over the largest clerical territory within the Holy Roman Empire until 1803.