Dortmund overview
Industrial powerhouse
Dortmund is the largest city in Germany’s industrial heartland, the Ruhrgebiet (Ruhr District), and the sixth largest in the country. Many of its population of c. 600,000 formerly worked in coal mines, coking plants or the steel industry. Brewing has also been a major local business over the years.
Changing times
A mjaor target for allied bombing in the Second World War, 95% of the city centre was destroyed. Later in the last century, the final collieries closed down in the 1980s and the number of people working in heavy industry fell from 127,000 in 1960 to just 37,000 in 1974.
Alter Markt (Old Market)
The former ‘Zollern II/IV’ coal mine
The ‘new’ Dortmund
Following the decline in the steel industry, merger of many smaller breweries and closure of the coal mines, the city has created a new economy based on IT, logistics and media-related businesses.
The former Zollern II/IV colliery has been preserved as a model of early 20th century industrial buildings and is open to the public as part of the Westphalian Industrial Museum (website in English).
Dortmund TouristCard
If you’re staying in Dortmund for a couple of days, the TouristCard is worth looking at (details). It gives discounts on entry to many attractions (e.g. 30% off at the industrial museum), free entry to others plus two days free travel on local public transport. The card can be obtained online (although only in German - here) or from the tourist information office (ground floor of the red brick building in the picture above, opposite the main railway station).
The city and regional library
Westfalen Park
The city’s - and one of Europe’s - largest parks lies just to the east of the football ground. The Westfalen Park was opened for the National Garden Festival in 1959 and staged further Festivals in 1969 and 1991. Today many outdoor events take place in the park, at the centre of which stands the TV tower, named ‘Florian’ by the people of Dortmund.
Brewery tours
Brewery tours can be arranged at the Dortmunder Actien Brewery. However, they prefer groups of 20+, you have to book in advance, and the English version of their website does not inlcude booking details (but if you can understand it, here’s the German version, which does!).
The ‘Florian’ TV tower
The Dortmunder Union U
Dortmund’s best-known brew, Dortmunder Union is now brewed by the multi-brand Brau und Brunnen company. Their new head offices and Dortmund’s brewery musuem are due to open before 2006 in the former Dortmunder Union building - now a listed landmark, still crowned by the enormous illuminated U. We’ll keep an eye on this and keep you informed via our newsletter.
See also Expedia.co.uk for Dortmund hotels, flights and rental cars.
