Münster (German: [ˈmʏnstɐ]; Westphalian: Mönster) is an independent city (Kreisfreie Stadt) in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region.

The centre of Westphalian culture, Münster has several cultural and scientific museums, including the Westphalian State Museum for Art and Cultural History and the Westphalian State Museum of Natural History, as well as technical and research institutes (including the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine) and ...

The Münster Rebellion ended brutally. The city was besieged and recaptured by Catholic forces in 1535, following an intense year-and-a-half battle. The key Anabaptist leaders were captured, tortured and executed while their followers were persecuted.

Münster's roots can be traced back to the 6^th century AD. However, the city officially came into existence in 793, when Frisian missionary Liudger founded the “Monasterium” cloister. Münster became a cathedral city as early as 805, and the city remains an active centre of the Roman-Catholic church.