Dortmund, Germany

Welcome to Dortmund, the vibrant city in the heart of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With a population of over half a million, Dortmund is the third-largest city in the state after Cologne and Düsseldorf, and the eighth-largest city in Germany. It is the largest city in the Ruhr, Germany’s largest urban area with some 5.1 million inhabitants, as well as the largest city of Westphalia. Dortmund is a city with a rich history, having been founded around 882 and becoming an Imperial Free City. Throughout the 13th to 14th centuries, it was the chief city of the Rhine, Westphalia, and the Netherlands Circle of the Hanseatic League. During the Thirty Years War, the city was destroyed and decreased in significance until the onset of industrialization. The city then became one of Germany’s most important coal, steel, and beer centers. Dortmund consequently was one of the most heavily bombed cities in Germany during World War II. The devastating bombing raids of 12 March 1945 destroyed 98% of buildings in the inner city center. These bombing raids, with more than 1,110 aircraft, hold the record for a single target in World War II. However, the region has adapted since the collapse of its century-long steel and coal industries and shifted to high-technology biomedical technology, micro systems technology, and also services. Dortmund was classified as a Node city in the Innovation Cities Index published by 2thinknow, ranked among the twelve innovation cities in European Union and is the most sustainable and digital city in Germany. Dortmund is home to many cultural and educational institutions, including the Technical University of Dortmund and Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts, International School of Management and other educational, cultural and administrative facilities with over 49,000 students, many museums, such as Museum Ostwall, Museum of Art and Cultural History, German Football Museum, as well as theatres and music venues like the Konzerthaus or the Opera House of Dortmund. Dortmund is also a city of green spaces, with nearly half the municipal territory consisting of waterways, woodland, agriculture, and spacious parks such as Westfalenpark and Rombergpark. Dortmund is an important transport junction, especially for the surrounding Ruhr area as well as Europe (Benelux countries), and with the largest canal port in Europe, it has a connection to important seaports on the North Sea. Dortmund is a city that has something for everyone, from history buffs to culture vultures, from nature lovers to sports enthusiasts. Come and discover the many treasures of Dortmund for yourself!