Dortmund is a city in Germany, located in the Bundesland of North Rhine-Westphalia, in the Ruhr area. Its population of 587,830 (20 June 2005) makes it the largest city in the region, 7th-largest in Germany, and 34th-largest in the European Union. The Ruhr river flows south of the city, and the small river Emscher flows through the municipal area. The Dortmund-Ems Canal also terminates in the Dortmund Port, which is the largest European canal port, and links Dortmund to the North Sea. Dortmund is known as Westphalia's "green metropolis". Nearly half the municipal territory consists of waterways, woodland, agriculture and green spaces with spacious parks such as Westfalenpark and the Rombergpark. This contrasts with nearly a hundred years of extensive coal mining and steel milling within the city limits.

Cultural history tones are set by the churches in the city centre whose towers characterise the skyline of Dortmund. The Reinoldikirche and the Marienkirche are gems of medieval architecture.
The city centre of Dortmund still retains the outline of the medieval city. A ring road marks the former city wall, and the Westen-/Ostenhellweg, part of a medieval salt trading route, is still the major street bisecting the city centre.

• Reinoldikirche, built around 800 AD. The current edifice was built between 1250 and 1270. Restored since World War II, it has a 112 m Gothic tower once known as the "Wonder of Westphalia". The church was largely rebuilt after an earthquake in 1661.
  
• Petrikirche , a Protestant church dating from the 14th century. It is famous for the huge carved altar (known as "Golden Miracle of Dortmund"), from 1521. It consists of 633 gilt carved oak figures depicting 30 scenes about Easter.
  
• Marienkirche, a Protestant church originally built in 1170-1200 but rebuilt after World War II. The altar is from 1420.
  
• Florianturm (TV Tower Dortmund): One of the first TV towers built in Germany has a revolving restaurant — one of the first in the world. It offered an opportunity to bungee jump from a height of nearly 140 m. This however was discontinued after a tragic accident which resulted in a fatality.
  
• Signal Iduna Park: Soccer ground of Borussia Dortmund, formerly known as the Westfalenstadion. Close to it is the Westfalenhalle, a large convention center, the site of several major conventions, trade fairs, ice-skating competitions, concerts and other major events since the 1950s.
  
• Westphalian Industrial Museum Zollern Colliery, an Anchor Point of ERIH, the European Route of Industrial Heritage
  
• Hansa Coking Plant
  
• Haus Bodelschwingh (13th century), a moated castle
  
• Haus Dellwig (13th century), a moated castle partly rebuilt in the 17th century. The façade and the steep tower, and two half-timbered buildings, are original.
  
• Haus Rodenberg (13th century), a moated castle.
  
• Altes Stadthaus was built in 1899 by Friedrich Kullrich
  
• Wasserschloss Bodelschwingh.
  
• Romberg Park Gatehouse (17th century), once a gatehouse to a moated castle. Now it houses an art gallery.
  
• RWE Tower (120 meters skyscraper - the tallest in Dortmund)
  
• Opera House, built in 1966 at the site of the old synagogue which had been destroyed by Nazis in 1938.