Mindener Glacis, Urban park in Minden, Germany

Mindener Glacis is a heritage-listed park ring around Minden's centre, about 4.6 km long and divided into six sections named after parts of the former fortress, such as Weserglacis and Simeonsglacis. It lies on two Weser terraces, from 41 m up to 59 m above sea level, and is planted mainly with ash, oak, red beech, sycamore and horse chestnut.

The land was originally part of Minden Fortress, which was dismantled after the Franco-Prussian War in the 1870s. Once the military use ended, the grounds were gradually opened to the public as gardens and green spaces.

The name "Glacis" comes from military architecture and referred to the sloping earthwork in front of a fortress wall. Today it reminds visitors that they are walking through what was once a defensive structure, now turned into open green space.

The ring runs 4.6 km around the old town, from the Weser at 41 m up to 59 m in the west, so expect a climb between the river and the higher sections. The wooden bridge over the Bastau links the Königsglacis with the Simeonsglacis to the south. In the Königsglacis, the Wilhelmshöhe mound is used as a sledding hill in winter.

Parts of the original fortress walls are still standing in the Fischerstadt district, where they now serve as flood barriers. These structures were not just kept as a memory of the past but continue to play an active role in protecting the area.