Dortmund, on the River Emscher and close to the River Ruhr, has long relied upon its waterways to transport the goods produced by its numerous industries.
Dortmund also marks the beginning of the Dortmund-Ems Canal, a 269-kilometer-long route to the sea that was opened in 1899 to help deal with the region's ever increasing production capabilities.
Today, a number of old buildings from the canal's heyday survive, most notably the old Port Authority Building, home to an excellent museum depicting the history of the port.
