There are cities where the events of history seem to be imprinted on the houses and streets. Such is Dortmund – rich in sights and welcoming to tourists.
History of Dortmund
The annals of the city store a lot of facts about the events of the past and present.
Dortmund is famous:
- Borussia soccer club;
- centuries-old tradition of brewing beer;
- numerous enterprises – it is a powerful industrial center.
At the same time, the panorama of the city looks picturesque: a park, a museum, a landscape garden – these are the main landmarks of the Dortmund landscape, one of the most memorable in Germany.
In the history of the city there were two periods of prosperity – in the 14th and 19th centuries. The rich Dortmund has suffered a lot from its neighbors, but it still stands to this day, delighting locals and tourists. The latter do not need to think hard about what to see in Dortmund: You can easily find monuments of art and nature here. You should definitely come to Dortmund if you value the environmental safety: the purity of air and water is particularly monitored here.
Top 5 Sights in Dortmund
A map of Dortmund abounds with places that are attractive to tourists. You can start your tour from the “heart of the city” – the center accommodates most of the memorable places, and many stores and the market square. From here you can easily get to any point of the city and the surrounding area.
Dortmund is rich in religious buildings, which can tell a lot about the history of ancient Europe. This:
- Church of St. Mary (completed in 1185);
- St. Peter’s Church (begun to be built in the 14th century, collecting over the centuries of construction the signs of different eras and styles);
- Church of St. Boniface (built at the beginning of the last century according to the canons of the neo-Romanesque style).
The sights have not been spared time – the monuments were destroyed to the ground. But Dortmund was rebuilt, and traces of its past can still be seen in it today. The Eagle Tower, for example, is worth a look: it was restored to its former glory in 1992 by reconstructing it on its 14th-century foundations. Now it is a museum, the pride of which is the collection of medieval weapons: armor and shields, swords and halberds, collected from all over the country. It is easy to imagine the former Dortmund by looking at the model of the ancient city.
Part of the old city is the House of Delvig. In the 13th century it belonged to the knight Hermann von Delvig and his heirs. The castle was rebuilt many times, and in its appearance – the features of different styles. Unfortunately, you will only be able to view it from the outside: Dortmund rents out the former knight’s estates.
One of the city’s industrial monuments is the Zöllern Mine Museum, which resembles a red-brick Gothic castle with a machine hall inside that contains examples of the mining equipment of past centuries. The exhibit opened in 1960 and was included in the map of “Industrial Heritage,” a special itinerary for tourists. Another part of this route is the Hanza plant: here you can see how coal is coked.
Dortmund is also attractive for art lovers. You should definitely visit the Dortmund U-Tower. A kind of cultural center is housed in the factory tower of the former large brewery, built in 1926. In 1994 it was closed, the superfluous buildings were demolished, and an art space was set up in the tower. Now you can look at the works of art of modern times (the prices for this pleasure are very moderate). And the beer for which Dortmund is famous, you will be offered elsewhere!
Dortmund also took care of family entertainment. You can spend the day in the city zoo, which is home to over two hundred animals. Its special pride is the bird park – parrots and owls, peacocks and pheasants live here under special protection.
The city botanical garden is no less rich – almost five thousand plants are planted throughout the solid territory of 65 hectares. You can walk around all day, remembering the musician Romenberg, who founded this splendor at the beginning of the century before last.
Church of St. Rinald
St. Rinald is the patron saint of the city, and the church dedicated to him has become a recognized symbol of the city. It can be seen on the souvenir products representing Dottmund, which you will be offered on every corner. The beginning of the history of the monument – back in the 9th century. Time has been merciless to the temple – it has survived many fires and other destruction, but it still stands today.
The surviving part of the ensemble, dating from the late 13th century, is among the oldest monuments in Germany. The 104-meter-high bell tower is crowned by a weathervane in the form of an eagle, another symbol of the city. You’ll have to lift your head properly to see it!
Westfalenpark
Without seeing this landmark in Dortmund, the idea of Germany would not be complete. The park is the real pride of the city.
This blooming place is divided into zones:
- antique garden;
- medieval rose garden;
- garden, stylized in an art nouveau style.
The Rosarium is the real pride of the city, and if you have ever dreamed of seeing a million scarlet (and not only!) roses, you should visit this corner! Roses are exotic and ancient, newly bred and rare – the abundance of colors and the most exquisite varieties has turned the park into a kind of flower museum. Among this beauty you can spend the whole day and not notice!
Vestafalenpark is a real science center: botanical scientists are tirelessly conducting research here.
Old Town Hall
The peculiarity of the sight is its relative “youthfulness” – it was built at the end of the 19th century. The neo-Renaissance building took the place of the very first town hall built six centuries ago, which had not been spared by time.
Brewing Museum
Dortmund is the place that produces the record amount of beer in all of Germany. There is an entire museum devoted to beer, which has the status of a special attraction.
The exhibition is located in the old brewery. Visiting it, you can learn the history of brewing: you will be told about the secrets of brewing beer, shown rare equipment and a collection of antique clay mugs and bottles.
Of course, you can enjoy a good tasting: the price of beer at the brewery center is not too high!
Zignal Iduna Park
Dortmund is proud of this place, iconic for sports tourists. Germany’s largest stadium is one of the world’s best soccer fields, according to the FIFA classification.
Dortmund is known in the sports world as a true forge of soccer personnel. The Borussia team trains here, and their home matches are not too expensive for fans: the prices of season tickets are affordable (the maximum – a little over 900 euros).
The Signal Iduna Park stadium can hold over 80,000 spectators. Are you a soccer fan? Take the South Stand – there’s room for up to 25,000!
If you visit Dortmund – alone or with your family – you will have a wonderful time in a city that lives at the intersection of old traditions and the achievements of modernity.
