The Teutoburg Forest stretches across the region. It was the site of the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest in the year 9 AD, where an alliance of Germanic tribes defeated the Roman Empire. In 1875, a statue was unveiled of the commander Arminius, who led the Germans to victory at the battle. This statue, the Hermannsdenkmal, is one of the best-known sights in Ostwestfalen-Lippe.