Dortmund

Dortmund, city, North Rhine–Westphalia Land (state), western Germany. Located at the southern terminus of the Dortmund-Ems Canal, it has extensive port installations. First mentioned as Throtmanni in 885, Dortmund became a free imperial city in 1220 and later joined the Hanseatic League. Its far-ranging trade connections made it so prosperous in the 14th century that the English crown was pledged to its merchants as security for loans several times. Its prosperity declined after the Thirty Years’ War, and, when it lost its imperial rights in 1803, its population numbered only about 4,000. The development of coal mining and iron-ore mining in the 19th century and the completion of the canal in 1899 stimulated rapid growth, and Dortmund is now a major transportation and industrial centre of the Ruhr.

Steel, machinery, electronic equipment, motor vehicles, coal, and beer are the city’s principal products, though it is increasingly dependent on service activities. Dortmund also has a large wholesale fruit and vegetable market. Dortmund was largely destroyed in World War II, which led to planned reconstruction on modern lines. Four medieval churches—the Propsteikirche, the Reinoldikirche, the Marienkirche, and the Petrikirche—have been restored, and the city retains four moated castles and the ruins of Saxon and Carolingian fortresses. Notable examples of modern architecture are the synagogue (1956) and the Westfalenhalle (Westphalia Hall; 1952), one of Europe’s largest halls, which is used for conventions, exhibitions, and sporting events. In the 1980s a casino and a new town hall were constructed. The city is home to the University of Dortmund (opened 1968), institutes for molecular physiology and spectroanalysis, Münster University’s Social Research Institute, and schools for social studies, journalistic research, mountaineering, mining, teacher training, and adult education. Dortmund features several museums, including the Museum of Art and Culture, which houses the “Dortmund treasure,” a cache of more than 400 gold coins; the Ostwall Museum, which features 20th-century art, sculpture, and graphic art; and a natural history museum. Pop. (2003 est.) 589,661.