town in Germany
Bad Bentheim is a town in the state of Lower Saxony. It is a picturesque medieval town that sits in a hill close to the border with the Netherlands, and a popular regional destination due to its imposing castle and its sulphur springs (“Bad” means “Bath”).
The local sandstone is known as Bentheimer Gold. This stone was shipped throughout Europe between the 15th and 18th centuries. For example, the Royal Palace in Amsterdam and the theatre and the Church of Our Lady in Antwerp are made of Bentheimer Gold sandstone. It is claimed that the pedestal for the Statue of Liberty is made from Bentheim sandstone, though it is a disputed claim, other German towns also making the same claim.
The rail station is on the IC line between Amsterdam and Szczecin with connections to Osnabrück, Hanover and Berlin.
Region rail connection from Bentheim, Rheine, Osnabrück, Herford and Bielefeld.
The town is on the B403 with exits off the A 30 (Bad Oeynhausen – Osnabrück – Hengelo) and A 31 (Emden – Oberhausen). The A30 connects just passed the town to the Netherlands A1, forming part of the E30, which connects Amsterdam, Bad Bentheim, Osnabrück, Hannover, Magdeburg, Berlin, Warsaw, Minsk and Moscow.
The town is small enough to see on foot. Parts are quite hilly and have cobbled streets making cycling a “challenge”.