First recorded near 882 AD, Dortmund rose through the Hanseatic League as chief city of its Rhine-Westphalia circle, then boomed on Ruhr coal and steel, its population rising from 58,000 in 1875 to 380,000 by 1905. Bombing on 12 March 1945 destroyed 98% of the inner city's buildings; after the last mine closed in 1987, the city rebuilt around biomedical and microsystems technology. Signal Iduna Park now seats 81,365, including Europe's largest standing terrace, the 24,454-capacity 'Yellow Wall' behind Borussia Dortmund's goal. The city's inland port is the largest canal port in Europe, and nearly half the municipal area is water, woodland or park.
Nights sit around 10°C and afternoons around 21°C, though some days reach 28°C.
Dortmund has real seasons: summer afternoons sit around 25°C, winter ones around 8°C.
Some summer days reach 32°C, and some winter nights drop below freezing.
Rain is spread through the year: about 16 days in 30 in January, the wettest month, and 8 in April.
Wind is rarely an issue; most months sit between calm and a light breeze. Air quality is worth watching: February averages an AQI of 60, while July clears to 39.
Days stretch to about 16.4 hours of light in June and shrink to 7.6 in December — something to weigh if you work to a fixed timezone.
No month in Dortmund matches what you're after, so come for the place rather than the weather. Expect fast internet (173 Mbps) and a high cost of living (about €1800 a month).
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