{{short description|Place in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany}} {{Infobox German location |type = Stadt |image_flag = Flagge Bad Muenstereifel.svg |image_coa = DEU Bad Muenstereifel COA.svg |image_photo = St. Chrysanthus und Daria, Burg Münstereifel, Bad Münstereifel-5688.jpg |coordinates = {{coord|50|33|11|N|06|45|58|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}} |image_plan = Bad Münstereifel in EU.svg |state = Nordrhein-Westfalen |region = Köln |district = Euskirchen |elevation = 434 |area = 150.83 |postal_code = 53902 |area_code = 02253, 02257 |licence = EU, SLE |Gemeindeschlüssel = 05 3 66 004 |website = [http://www.bad-muenstereifel.de/ www.bad-muenstereifel.de] |mayor = Sebastian Glatzel<ref>https://wahlen.kdvz.nrw/production/kw2025/05366004/praesentation/ergebnis.html?wahl_id=248&stimmentyp=0&id=ebene_6_id_105574</ref> |leader_term = 2025&ndash;30 |party = SPD }} Bad Münstereifel, Markt (market place)|thumb|285px thumb|285x285px|Bad Münstereifel, town hall '''Bad Münstereifel''' ({{IPA|de|baːt mʏnstɐˈʔaɪfl̩|-|De-Bad_Münstereifel.ogg}}) is a historical spa town in the district of Euskirchen, Germany, with about 17,000 inhabitants, situated in the far southwest of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The little town is one of only a few historical towns in the southwest of North Rhine-Westphalia, and because of this is often overcrowded by tourists throughout spring and summer.

== Geography == === Location === thumb|left|View of the town thumb|left|Aerial view (2015) Bad Münstereifel lies about {{convert|30|km}} southwest of Bonn and around ten (both as the crow flies) south of the county town of Euskirchen in the Münstereifel Forest, a part of the Eifel mountains. The river Erft flows through the town. It has a borough of around {{cvt|151|sqkm}} in area at heights of {{cvt|200 to 586.1|m}} above sea level.<ref name="Zahlen">{{cite web|title=Zahlen & Fakten|periodical=bad-muenstereifel.de|publisher=Stadt Bad Münstereifel|url=http://www.bad-muenstereifel.de/seiten/leben_wohnen/die_stadt/zahlenfakten.php|access-date=2015-01-29|language=de}}</ref> The latter is the height of the Michelsberg, which is the highest point in the borough and rises in the northwestern part of the Ahr Hills (another region of the Eifel).

The borough is around 60 percent forested, several woods are designated as so-called ancient forest (''Urwald''). Over {{cvt|200|km}} of trails enable access to the low mountain uplands, which are about {{cvt|25|km}} from the Eifel National Park. thumb|1897 picture postcard

Due to its location in the Erft valley the old town of Bad Münstereifel, tourist and economic facilities, railways and streets were severely damaged by the floods 2021. Five persons died while these floods<ref>https://www.bad-muenstereifel.de/rathaus-service/jahrestag-zum-gedenken-an-die-flutkatastrophe-2021</ref>.

=== Subdivisions === Arloff, Bergrath, Berresheim, Effelsberg, Eichen, Eicherscheid, Ellesheim, Esch, Eschweiler, Gilsdorf, Hilterscheid, Hohn, Holzem, Honerath, Houverath, Hummerzheim, Hünkhoven, Iversheim, Kalkar, Bad Münstereifel, Kirspenich, Kolvenbach, Kop Nück, Langscheid, Lanzerath, Lethert, Limbach, Lingscheiderhof, Mahlberg, Maulbach, Mutscheid, Neichen, Nitterscheid, Nöthen, Odesheim, Ohlerath, Reckerscheid, Rodert, Rupperath, Sasserath, Scheuerheck, Scheuren, Schönau, Soller, Vollmert, Wald, Willerscheid, Witscheiderhof

== Education == Bad Münstereifel is the seat of SIGNO innovation society Eifel Association, Association of the greatest inventors in Germany. Signo is a project of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology. Joined the Association is a youth and children's department, may acquire in the children and young people in a club's workshop, the basic knowledge of technology.<ref>[http://www.ig-eifel.de/ Innovations-Gesellschaft Eifel e.V. – Willkommen<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

Bad Münstereifel has four elementary schools in the main town as well as the subdistricts of Arloff, Mutscheid, and Houverath. A Hauptschule and Realschule share facilities, while the city has two Gymnasium: the public St. Michael-Gymnasium and the diocesan-run St.-Angela-Gymnasium. Furthermore, the Apostolic school of the Legionaries of Christ has its seat in the city.

Since 1976, the city is also home to the University of Applied Sciences for the Administration of Justice of North Rhine-Westphalia. There are also several private training facilities in the city, including the Kurt-Schumacher-Academy of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung and the House of Labor Security of the Trade Association for Electrical and Precision Engineering.<ref>[http://www.bad-muenstereifel.de/seiten/leben_wohnen/hs_bildung.php Stadt Bad Münstereifel<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> There is also a house of the Youth Red Cross as an educational facility for the National Association (North Division).

Bad Münstereifel has a public library with a stock of 16,000 media.<ref>[http://www.bad-muenstereifel.de/seiten/leben_wohnen/bildung/Stadtbuecherei.php Stadt Bad Münstereifel<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

==Local council== The local council has 36 seats, the elections were held in September 2025. * CDU: 13 seats * SPD: 9 seats * FDP: 2 seats * UWV: 3 seats * Alliance 90/The Greens: 4 seats * AfD: 5 seats <ref>https://wahlen.kdvz.nrw/production/kw2025/05366004/praesentation/ergebnis.html?wahl_id=249&stimmentyp=0&id=ebene_3_id_94</ref>

== Notable people and gatherings ==

* Heino (born 1938), the folk-singer has lived in the town. From 1996 to 2012 he operated a cafe there. * Friedrich Joseph Haass, (1780–1853), the "holy doctor of Moscow", was born in Bad Münstereifel. * Wilhelm Mohr (1838-1888), German journalist * Christopher Becker (born 1980), German film director, screenwriter and film producer

The Portuguese Socialist Party, one of the two main Portuguese parties, was founded here in 1973 with the guidance of the Social Democratic Party of Germany, who wanted to create a political force capable of keeping Portugal a member of NATO.<ref>[http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/Default.aspx?pageID=238&nid=9196 SONER ÇAĞAPTAY – Portuguese Lessons for Turkey’s Role in the Arab Spring<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

== Other personalities associated with the town ==

* Otto Graf Lambsdorff (1926–2009), politician, former Bundesminister für Wirtschaft (Minister of Economic Affairs) and chairman of the FDP, lived in the district of Eschweiler.

== International relations == {{See also|List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany}}

Bad Münstereifel is twinned with: *{{flagicon|UK}} Ashford, United Kingdom *{{flagicon|FRA}} Fougères, France.

== See also == * Alte Burg (Bad Münstereifel) – the site of an old refuge castle * Effelsberg 100-m Radio Telescope

{{Commons category|Bad Münstereifel}}

== References == {{reflist}}

== External links == * [http://www.badmuenstereifel.de www.badmuenstereifel.de the official Website]

{{Cities and towns in Euskirchen (district)}} {{Borough of Bad Münstereifel}} {{Ashford}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bad Munstereifel}} Category:Towns in North Rhine-Westphalia Category:Spa towns in Germany Category:Euskirchen (district)