Home to the unique Rock and Pop Museum, the historical Drilandmuseum, and the birthplace of Udo Lindenberg.
Welcome to Gronau, a quiet town located in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Famous as the birthplace of musician Udo Lindenberg, Gronau also has a surprise in the form of Germany's only Rock and Pop Museum.
Gronau, sitting close to the Dutch border, has origins dating back to the 8th century, yet it became a city only in 1975 after merging with the town of Epe. A walk around town reveals a lot about its past. You'll find traces of old mill industries, one of them being converted into a local museum, Drilandmuseum. This museum is a well of local history, displaying artifacts from the Neolithic period to the present day.
Interestingly, Gronau's most well-known feature is its Rock and Pop Museum. This museum, the only one of its kind in Germany, tells the history of rock and pop music from the 1950s till today. It also includes information on the life and work of Udo Lindenberg, who was born in Gronau.
Outdoorsy types can enjoy the town's green spaces. The town park, Stadt Park Gronau, has a nice lake where you can rent pedal boats. There's also the Dreiländersee, a lake formed by sand mining where you can swim, sail or just relax by the water.
The Dutch border is only a short bike ride away. It is common for locals to cross over to the Netherlands for shopping or sightseeing. This close proximity to another country is part of Gronau's charm.
As for food, Gronau has some good options for traditional German meals as well as international cuisine. One must-try local dish is 'Westphalian ham', traditionally smoked ham served cold, often accompanied by fresh bread.
