Dortmund, situated in the north-west of Germany in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, is traditionally famed for its coal, steel and beer. The city has a long history and is a member of the pan-European Hanseatic trading league dating back to the 13th century. It is the biggest city in the Ruhr area and the center of its burgeoning IT industry. It also has Europe's largest canal harbor.

The first documented evidence of Dortmund dates back to between 880 and 890 when the city appeared in records under the name Throtmania. After 1320, however, the people of Dortmund started to prefer the written form Dorpmunde. Nobody is certain exactly what the name means.

In the 13th century, Dortmund was one of the wealthiest and most powerful cities in the Hanseatic League. It became an Imperial Free City in 1220, under the direct rule of the Emperor as opposed to a local duke or prince- a status it maintained until 1803.

As with many cities in the industrial heartland of the Ruhrgebiet, Dortmund was hit heavily by bombing raids during World War II which destroyed 95 percent of the old inner city and 60 percent of the residential areas.

Dortmund was rebuilt by the 1960's with a more natural environment favored over the industrial landscape of the 19th century. Besides parks and gardens and a zoo, the city planners opted for cultural centers and there are excellent museums and galleries, and a fair share of memorable historical buildings, churches, and monuments. The Central Station of Dortmund is one of Europe's largest train stations, with high speed connections to many German cities.

Dortmunders live and breathe sport. More than 135,000 sports enthusiasts are organized in 600 sports clubs. The city's Bundesliga team, Borussia Dortmund, have brought glorious days to the city and its soccer-mad citizens. Six Bundesliga titles and the European Cup in 1997 did much to elevate the club but recent form and financial problems have stolen more headlines of late.

Borussia's home, the Westfalenstadion, was built for the 1974 World Cup. With a crowd capacity of 60,000, it is Germany's largest. It boasts an under soil heating system, sophisticated video coverage with 350 TVs placed throughout the stands as well as two huge ones visible from anywhere in the stadium. There are also restaurants as well as plethora of other forms of entertainment and service.

The Westfalenstadion will undergo slight reconstruction in preparation for the 2006 World Cup. Six games are to be held in the Westfalenstadion including the semi-final.