Gasometers in Münster, Gas holder in Münster, Germany

The Gasometer in Münster is a single decommissioned natural gas holder of the Stadtwerke Münster, standing on the Albersloher Weg near the Loddenheide on a site of about 130,000 m². Its telescopic bell structure weighs around 800 tonnes and was held up only by internal pressure; when gas was released, the bell sank to a base height of 12 m and dipped into a water basin holding 30,000 m³. The basin is painted blue, the stairs and walkways yellow, the supporting frame orange and the cups black.

The gas holder was built in 1954 and operated continuously for five decades, shaping Münster's skyline. In 2005 it was replaced by an underground gas storage facility near Albachten and placed under monument protection. After years of searching for a new use, the city sold it to UTB Projektmanagement GmbH on 15 December 2023, which plans a vertical city quarter with up to 12,000 square metres of floor space.

The gas holder's nickname echoes its shape: the 800-tonne telescopic bell was held up only by internal gas pressure and sank into a 30,000-cubic-metre water basin when emptied. Its paint follows the Stadtwerke Münster colours: blue basin, yellow stairs and walkways, orange support frame, black cups. From 2021 the grounds ran as an open social centre called "gazometer" for workshops, film screenings and art.

The gas holder stands on the Stadtwerke Münster grounds at Albersloher Weg, near Loddenheide, not in Coerde. The site is private property; the 130,000 m² area belongs to the municipal utility. The steel structure is a protected monument, so visits depend on events or guided access rather than open daily entry.

The gas holder's 800-tonne bell was held aloft only by the gas pressure inside; when emptied, it sank to a 12 m base height and dipped into a 30,000 m³ water basin that sealed the storage space. The paint scheme follows the Stadtwerke colours: blue basin, yellow stairs and walkways, orange support frame, black cups.