With its important past as a Roman outpost around the time of Christ's birth, Haltern am See has held city rights since 1289 and is a historic, up-and-coming medium-sized town located at the northernmost point of the Lippe River, nestled in the Hohe Mark, Haard, and Borkenberge forests.
The current urban area of Haltern am See was created as part of the municipal reform in North Rhine-Westphalia in 1975.
At that time, the city and the Haltern district, consisting of the municipalities of Kirchspiel-Haltern (Holtwick, Lavesum, and Sythen), Hullern, and Lippramsdorf, were merged and expanded south of the Lippe River to include the municipalities of Flaesheim (formerly part of the Datteln district) and Hamm-Bossendorf (parts of the Hamm municipality formerly part of the Marl district). The allocation of districts south of the Lippe River to Haltern meant crossing a centuries-old border. A border that, in the 13th century, was the reason and prerequisite for the granting of city rights to Haltern by the sovereign and Prince-Bishop of Münster, Everhard von Diest.
Since 1908, Haltern am See has had a pumping station for the supply of drinking water to the northern Ruhr area. Water extraction has been steadily expanded; it helped the city earn its adorning name "Haltern am See" and reached its provisional end with the completion of Lake Hullern in 1985.
A side effect of the land-intensive water management is the increased recreational value of the Haltern landscape, which, free of industry, has become even more attractive to visitors and locals thanks to the creation of the lakes.
Today, the Haltern lakes, with their boathouses, sailing harbor, and lakeside resort, are a destination for numerous holidaymakers. But Haltern am See has more to offer visitors than just the lake.
The charming and diverse landscape is often referred to as the lungs of the Ruhr region. The city is at the heart of the Hohe Mark Nature Park. The extensive forests of the Haard and Hohe Mark, as well as the Westruper Heide, Holtwicker Heide, and Sebbelheide nature reserves, are accessible via a dense network of hiking, biking, horseback riding, and walking trails.
The pedestrian zones of the old town and the modernly designed town centers of Sythen, Flaesheim, Lippramsdorf, Hullern, and Lavesum are popular shopping and meeting places for residents and visitors alike.