Recklinghausen's old town centre is a pleasant surprise. The Rathausplatz and the surrounding pedestrianized streets survived the Second World War better than most Ruhr cities, and while nothing here is architecturally exceptional, the ensemble of market square, church, and surrounding lanes feels genuinely old rather than reconstructed.
The market is held on the square twice weekly and is a good place to pick up regional produce. The old town works as a starting point for a walk that takes in the Propsteikirche and Ikonen-Museum in a single loop — everything is within five minutes on foot.