Space to relax – Dortmund's greens
Dortmund is not only an excellent location for industry, however, but also has a lot to offer in other areas. Numerous greens, making up almost half of the city’s 280 square kilometers, provide a high quality of life and leisure time.
Giraffe in the Dortmund Zoo
Picture (Licence/photographer/designer): Marja Kettner
The Dortmund Zoo, renowned for its breeding successes with predominantly South-American animal species, and extensive parks are hallmarks of the city.
There are the Westfalenpark, housing the German Rosarium with over 3,000 kinds of roses, thereby making it the third-largest collection in the world, and the botanic garden Rombergpark with around 4,500 different kinds of trees, to name only two.
The 24-hectar Lake PHOENIX, created in the grounds of the former Hermannshütte works, promises waterfront flair. The enormous amounts of soil to be moved for the purpose will later be re-used to model a terrace landscape at the lake front.
The countryside to the left- and right hand side of the river Emscher will also change dramatically in the coming years. The area will undergo a far-reaching restoration process: from today’s waste-water disposal in concrete formwork to ecologically sound meadows. A countryside by the river, meandering through the northern city zones, offering manifold recreational possibilities.
Greens close to home are also a priority. Dortmund's 90 city districts are surrounded by attractive greens: more than 100 allotment gardens, greenery planted in courtyards and playgrounds, and trees and flowerbeds along the roads are rounding out the city’s outdoor image. The Stadtgarten ("town garden") is the city centre’s green lung. People looking for recreation away from buzzing city life will find what they are looking for in the nearby Münsterland or in the rolling hills of the Sauerland region.
