Citation

Perspect. Public Health 2012; 132(3): 104.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Royal Society for Public Health, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1757913912444042

PMID

22700568

Abstract

With the relentless tide of global urbanization can a city with a thousand year history offer a vision of a possible future? Modest yet self-confident, Muenster in the North Rhine Westphalia region of Germany has been the site of visionary innovations. The proto-democratic socialism of the Anabaptists of the 16th century and as the major site for the negotiations leading to the Treaty of Westphalia in the 17th century, which laid the foundations of international law, this city has demonstrated what can be achieved by small but significant shifts in perspective.

The registered population of 300,000, swelled by nearly 50,000 students, make more journeys by bicycle than by car to take the title of the most bicycle orientated city in bicycle-friendly northern Europe. There is barely a road in the city without a dedicated route for cyclists.

Language: en