Stand on Willy-Brandt-Platz and the Baroque spire of the Reinoldikirche rises directly above you, at what the sources call the geographical centre of Dortmund. Walk a few minutes west and the Alter Markt opens out, its café seating spilling across a square that has served as the city's marketplace for almost 900 years.
Dortmund suits travellers who are curious about industrial history, modern art and the layers of a city rebuilt after the Second World War. It also suits anyone who simply wants a walkable centre with a strong sense of place, and green space and waterways within easy reach.
This guide covers the sights named in the source material, ordered with the strongest first, followed by a one-day plan and answers to common questions.
Top things to do in Dortmund
1. Alter Markt
Dortmund's marketplace for almost 900 years is still the sociable centre of the city. Up to the Second World War the town hall of the Free and Hanseatic City stood here. In warm weather, outdoor bar and café seating fills the plaza and turns the square into a large beer garden, and when Borussia Dortmund plays, the Alter Markt turns completely black and yellow.
Look for the Bläserbrunnen fountain, with its horn-player statue sculpted in 1901; the pool underneath once served as a drinking fountain for livestock. Come in the late afternoon when the seating is out and the square is at its liveliest.
2. Dortmunder U
This high-rise former brewery building has been a Dortmund landmark since 1927, and the trademark "U" on the roof was added in 1968. In 2010, to coincide with the Ruhr becoming European Capital of Culture, it was turned into a centre of culture and creativity, hosting the Ostwall Museum, exhibition rooms, a restaurant, an art association and a campus for the Dortmund University of Applied Sciences.
Throughout the day the grid of panels under the "U" displays the "flying pictures" installation by the cinematic artist Adolf Winkelmann. Combine a visit here with the Ostwall Museum, which is housed in the same building.
3. Reinoldikirche
The Baroque spire of St Reinold's Church rises over Willy-Brandt-Platz at the geographical centre of Dortmund. The building was raised in the 13th century after a fire claimed its predecessor, and it has a Romanesque nave and Gothic chancel. In the Middle Ages it was Dortmund's spiritual centre and the main parish church up to the Reformation in the 16th century.
Inside there is a 14th-century statue of St Reinoldus, a stool on the south side of the choir from 1462, and the retable on the high altar carved by the Flanders-born Master of Hakendover in 1420. Be sure to climb the tower's stairs to the observation platform just beneath the clock.
4. Marienkirche
At the eastern end of Westenhellweg, opposite the Reinoldikirche, this is the oldest standing church in Dortmund's Innenstadt. It blends Romanesque and Gothic architecture: its earliest sections were built in the 1100s, while the later Gothic elements are from the 14th century.
The church was destroyed in the Second World War, but its medieval art had been removed for safekeeping. The middle panel of the Berswordtaltar from 1380 has a Gothic painting evoking the Swoon of Mary, and the Marienaltar was composed by the Dortmund painter Conrad von Soest in 1420. A free public guided tour is offered every Thursday at 16:30.
5. Ostwall Museum
Dortmund's modern and contemporary art museum was founded in 1948 and moved to the Dortmunder U in 2010. When it first opened it displayed the Expressionist and New Objectivity works that the Nazis had deemed "degenerate art". Expressionism remains the soul of the permanent exhibition, with pieces by artists from both Die Brücke and Der Blaue Reiter, alongside later works and a strong graphics collection.
Because the museum sits inside the Dortmunder U, you can pair the two in a single visit and see the "flying pictures" installation on the way in or out.
6. Zeche Zollern
A colliery with stylish Art Nouveau elements from the turn of the 20th century. The Berlin Jugendstil architect Bruno Möhring designed the central machine building, fronted by a stained glass window with blue and green panels. The colliery closed in 1969 and since 1981 has been the headquarters for the LWL Industrial Museum.
The exhibition covers the social and cultural history of the Ruhr industrial region, and the surrounding buildings have been restored and opened up, with the machine hall's century-old conveyers, converters and compressors on show. It is part of the Route der Industriekultur.
7. Kokerei Hansa
An industrial monument in the Huckarde district and a noteworthy stop on the Ruhr's Industrial Heritage Trail. The facility received anthracite from local collieries and converted it into coke or coke-oven gas. Construction began in the late 1920s and most of it is still standing after being shut down in 1992.
Guided tours and audio tours are given here. Bring a camera, as there are many opportunities for dramatic photos, not least in the compressor room where the steam-powered gas piston compressors look as though they were only just turned off for the day.
8. Hohensyburg and Casino
A popular destination in the south of Dortmund, where you can see the ruins of the Syburg and the Vincke Tower, and take in a view over the Ruhr Valley from the Kaiser-Wilhelm Memorial. Next to the ruins, within the woods, is a modern, glass-fronted casino hotel with live music, bars and restaurants.
Note that jackets are required for men at the casino. Pair the ruins and the view with a stop at the hotel for a drink or a meal.
9. TV Tower (Florian)
The entrance to Dortmund's television tower, called Florian, is on the north side of the Westfalenpark. The lift takes you to the two observation decks at 140 metres in no time at all. There is no orientation board to point out the landmarks far below, so a map on your phone is a useful substitute.
Below the lower deck is a revolving restaurant if you would like to pause over the view for longer. Remember that entering the park is a separate cost from the lift to the observation deck.
10. Altes Stadthaus
The Old Civic Hall is a fine Neo-Renaissance structure built in 1899. A notable feature of the building's façade is the large eagle representing the city of Dortmund.
Another nearby old building worth seeing is Berswordt Hall, the Town Hall, so you can take in both on the same short walk.
11. Schloss Bodelschwingh
Constructed upon oak posts, Bodelschwingh is one of the best-preserved buildings of its kind in the Ruhrgebiet and, as a medieval moated castle from the 13th century, the biggest and most important moated castle in Dortmund. The castle, which includes a park and access yard, has been in family ownership for more than 700 years and is not open to the public.
The utility buildings grouped around the courtyard have been converted into modern residential and commercial premises, and interested visitors can take a virtual look at the private grounds through photos online and find out about the castle's history.
12. Adlerturm
A medieval tower that is now a children's museum with interactive exhibits about Dortmund in the Middle Ages. It sits on the Ostwall, near the Stadthaus Stadtbahn stop.
It is a good option if you are travelling with children or want a break from churches and industrial sites, and it fits naturally into a walk along the line of the old city walls.
13. Steinerner Turm
The Steinturm is a protected monument and historic watchtower not far from the Westfalenhallen. It is a quick stop rather than a long visit.
Combine it with the Westfalenpark and the TV Tower (Florian), which are in the same part of the city.
14. Heilige Dreifaltigkeit
A church on Flurstraße where Borussia Dortmund was founded. It is a modest stop, but a meaningful one for anyone following the club's history.
It sits away from the main church cluster in the centre, so plan it as part of a wider walk rather than a detour on its own.
15. Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche (Kreuzkirche)
This church on Kreuzstraße was one of the best examples of Brick Expressionism. It is worth the time if you are interested in twentieth-century church architecture.
Pair it with the other historic churches in the city, since the sources group them together as the interesting churches in and around the old medieval wall.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at the Reinoldikirche on Willy-Brandt-Platz and climb the tower to the observation platform beneath the clock. Cross to the Marienkirche at the eastern end of Westenhellweg, the oldest standing church in the Innenstadt, and if it is a Thursday, time your visit for the free public guided tour at 16:30 or come back for it later.
Afternoon: Walk to the Alter Markt for lunch and a look at the Bläserbrunnen fountain, then head to the Dortmunder U to see the "flying pictures" installation and the Ostwall Museum in the same building. If time allows, add the Altes Stadthaus and Berswordt Hall nearby.
Evening: Return to the Alter Markt, where the outdoor seating turns the square into a large beer garden in warm weather, and stay for dinner and a drink in the sociable centre of the city.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to see the Alter Markt?
In warm weather, when outdoor bar and café seating fills the plaza and turns the square into a large beer garden. If Borussia Dortmund is playing, the square turns completely black and yellow.
Can I visit Schloss Bodelschwingh?
The castle is not open to the public. You can visit it virtually online, where photos of the private grounds and information about its history are available.
Is the Marienkirche open during the week?
It is open on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 10:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 16:00, on Thursday from 10:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 18:00, and on Saturday from 10:00 to 13:00. A free public guided tour is offered every Thursday at 16:30.
What should I know before visiting the casino at Hohensyburg?
Jackets are required for men. The casino hotel also has live music, bars and restaurants, and it sits next to the ruins within the woods.
Use this guide to sketch your route, check the opening times that matter to you, and start planning your days in Dortmund.