Warstein lies in the south of the Soest district, nestled between the Arnsberger Wald nature park and the Haarstrang ridge. The River Möhne divides the densely wooded southern half from the open north. The town covers an area of around 158 square kilometres and stretches from elevations above 580 metres down into valleys at about 216 metres. Nine districts such as Belecke and Suttrop make up the area, which borders municipalities like Anröchte and Arnsberg in a clockwise direction.
The first traces of human settlement are found in the Bilstein Caves, where tools from the Middle Stone Age have been discovered. Warstein is first mentioned in written records after 1200, when an addition to a monastery deed refers to the name. The development into a town took place under the archbishops of Cologne, who granted town privileges in the 13th century. Early on, iron processing shaped the region, as evidenced by slag remains in the old settlement of Altenwarstein.
Today Warstein is known for its striking structures such as the Lörmecke Tower on the highest point of the town’s territory. The Bilstein Caves, with their archaeological finds, attract visitors, while the landscape between forests and the Haarstrang ridge appeals to hikers and nature lovers. The town thus combines historical traces with an appealing central upland landscape.
