Datteln is a town located in the district of Recklinghausen within the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is situated approximately 10 km northeast of Recklinghausen and 20 km northwest of Dortmund.
The town is notably positioned at the world's largest canal junction. This intersection serves as a meeting point for four major waterways: the Datteln-Hamm Canal, the Wesel-Datteln Canal, the Dortmund-Ems Canal, and the Rhein-Herne Canal.