Dortmund

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'''Dortmund''' ({{IPA|de|ˈdɔʁtmʊnt|lang|De-Dortmund.ogg}}; {{langx|wep|Düörpm}} {{IPA|nds|ˈdyːœɐ̯pm̩|}}; {{langx|la|Tremonia}}) is a city in the [[German state]] of [[North Rhine-Westphalia]]. It is the [[List of cities in North Rhine-Westphalia by population|third-largest city]] in the state, after [[Cologne]] and [[Düsseldorf]], and the [[List of cities in Germany by population|ninth-largest city]] in the country. With a population of 614,495 inhabitants,{{Cite web |title=Bevölkerung in Zahlen 2025 |url=https://www.dortmund.de/newsroom/nachrichten-dortmund.de/dortmund-waechst-und-wird-juenger-fuenf-fakten-zur-stadt-statistik.html |website=statistikportal.dortmund.de}} it is the largest city (by area and population) of the [[Ruhr]] as well as the largest city of [[Westphalia]].{{efn|The historical capital and cultural centre of Westphalia is however [[Münster]].}} It lies on the [[Emscher]] and [[Ruhr (river)|Ruhr]] rivers ([[tributaries]] of the [[Rhine]]) in the [[Rhine-Ruhr]] Metropolitan Region, the [[List of EU metropolitan regions by GDP#2021 ranking of top four German metropolitan regions|second biggest metropolitan region by GDP]] in the European Union, and is considered the administrative, commercial, and cultural centre of the eastern Ruhr. Dortmund is the second-largest city in the [[Low German]] dialect area, after [[Hamburg]].

'''Dortmund''' ({{IPA|de|ˈdɔʁtmʊnt|lang|De-Dortmund.ogg}}; {{langx|wep|Düörpm}} {{IPA|nds|ˈdyːœɐ̯pm̩|}}; {{langx|la|Tremonia}}) is the third-largest city in [[North Rhine-Westphalia]], after [[Cologne]] and [[Düsseldorf]], and the [[List of cities in Germany by population|ninth-largest city]] in [[Germany]]. With a population of 614,495 inhabitants,{{Cite web |title=Bevölkerung in Zahlen 2025 |url=https://www.dortmund.de/newsroom/nachrichten-dortmund.de/dortmund-waechst-und-wird-juenger-fuenf-fakten-zur-stadt-statistik.html |website=statistikportal.dortmund.de}} it is the largest city (by area and population) of the [[Ruhr]] as well as the largest city of [[Westphalia]].{{efn|The historical capital and cultural centre of Westphalia is however [[Münster]].}} It lies on the [[Emscher]] and [[Ruhr (river)|Ruhr]] rivers ([[tributaries]] of the [[Rhine]]) in the [[Rhine-Ruhr]] Metropolitan Region, the [[List of EU metropolitan regions by GDP#2021 ranking of top four German metropolitan regions|second biggest metropolitan region by GDP]] in the European Union, and is considered the administrative, commercial, and cultural centre of the eastern Ruhr. Dortmund is the second-largest city in the [[Low German]] dialect area, after [[Hamburg]].

Founded around 882,[[:File:Boevinghausen erwaehnung.jpg|Wikimedia Commons]]: First documentary reference to Dortmund-Bövinghausen from 882, contribution-list of the Werden Abbey (near Essen), North-Rhine-Westphalia, Germany Dortmund became 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 [[industrialisation]]. The city then became one of Germany's most important coal, steel, and beer centres; as a consequence, it 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 the buildings in the inner city. Involving more than 1,110 aircraft, the raids were the largest targeting a single city during World War II.{{cite web |url=https://www.backtonormandy.org/the-history/air-force-operations/airplanes-in-actions/lancaster/raf-bomber-command-748-lancasters-record-attack-dortmund-12-march-1945.html |title=Support – Main Menu |website=Backtonormandy.org |access-date=16 February 2017 |archive-date=13 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170813042135/https://www.backtonormandy.org/the-history/air-force-operations/airplanes-in-actions/lancaster/raf-bomber-command-748-lancasters-record-attack-dortmund-12-march-1945.html |url-status=dead}} Today, around 30% of the city’s buildings date from before the war.{{cite web |title=Zensus 2011 – Gebäude- und Wohnungsbestand in Deutschland |url=https://zensus2011.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/Publikationen/Aufsaetze_Archiv/2015_12_NI_GWZ_endgueltig.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=4#page=90r |publisher=Statistische Ämter Des Bundes Und Der Länder}}

Founded around 882,[[:File:Boevinghausen erwaehnung.jpg|Wikimedia Commons]]: First documentary reference to Dortmund-Bövinghausen from 882, contribution-list of the Werden Abbey (near Essen), North-Rhine-Westphalia, Germany Dortmund became 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 [[industrialisation]]. The city then became one of Germany's most important coal, steel, and beer centres; as a consequence, it 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 the buildings in the inner city. Involving more than 1,110 aircraft, the raids were the largest targeting a single city during World War II.{{cite web |url=https://www.backtonormandy.org/the-history/air-force-operations/airplanes-in-actions/lancaster/raf-bomber-command-748-lancasters-record-attack-dortmund-12-march-1945.html |title=Support – Main Menu |website=Backtonormandy.org |access-date=16 February 2017 |archive-date=13 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170813042135/https://www.backtonormandy.org/the-history/air-force-operations/airplanes-in-actions/lancaster/raf-bomber-command-748-lancasters-record-attack-dortmund-12-march-1945.html |url-status=dead}} Today, around 30% of the city’s buildings date from before the war.{{cite web |title=Zensus 2011 – Gebäude- und Wohnungsbestand in Deutschland |url=https://zensus2011.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/Publikationen/Aufsaetze_Archiv/2015_12_NI_GWZ_endgueltig.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=4#page=90r |publisher=Statistische Ämter Des Bundes Und Der Länder}}