With over 600,000 inhabitants Dortmund is the third-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia and the ninth-largest city in Germany.

Dortmund tradition has attributed the city's founding to Charlemagne, even though this is ultimately not documented. Traces of such a castle—considered to have been founded by Charlemagne due to its typical square layout—can still be found today in Dortmund's city center. Since the "Hellweg" became the preferred travel route for kings between the West Frankish part of the empire and Saxon, it was necessary to establish palaces along the route. Its assumed that the city rose to become an important palace in Westphalia and the Hellweg region in the 10th century.

In 1152, a court assembly took place here under King Frederick Barbarossa. Craftsmen and traders settled and contributed to Dortmund's gradual development as a city. As early as 1200, the city was fortified with city walls. In 1232 a major city fire broke out. It destroyed the city almost completely. The fire also lost the city archives and with it all documents. The privileges, which had been lost in the city fire, were renewed in 1236 by Frederick II.

In 1293, the city was granted brewing rights, and an unprecedented development of the beer industry began within the city. The influence of Dortmund's citizens also grew. This citizenry or patriciate consisted of influential families with excellent trading relations throughout Europe. They were important in the Hanseatic League

In 1389, Dortmund survived the Great Dortmund Feud against the Count of Mark and the Archbishop of Cologne and their allies. However, the city's economic decline began.

Only with the onset of industrialization was the decline halted. From the mid-19th century onward, coal mining and steel processing led to Dortmund's renewed rise and its transformation into an industrial city. With the opening of the Cologne-Minden Railway in 1847, Dortmund became an important transportation hub in the Ruhr region. The opening of the Dortmund-Ems Canal and thus the port in 1899 made a further significant contribution to economic development. This infrastructure paved Dortmund's path to becoming a major city. The city grew beyond the narrow confines of the medieval ramparts.

In 1876, over 50,000 people lived in Dortmund; by 1929, their number had risen to over 530,000.

During WW II, the city was destroyed by a total of 105 air raids. During the major raid on March 12, 1945, over 4,800 tons of bombs hit the city. This attack was the heaviest bombing raid on a German city. 95% of the historic city center and 59% of the residential area were destroyed. According to contemporary reports, it was initially considered not to rebuild the city center. However, reconstruction progressed quickly and by 1950 the city had 500,000 inhabitants.

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The Propsteikirche is one of Dortmund's four inner-city churches.

A Dominican abbey was founded in Dortmund in 1330, and a first abbey church was built from 1331 to 1353. It was expanded to a Gothic hall church, begun in 1404 and consecrated in 1458. The church of a mendicant order, it was mainly a place for prayer and built simple and without a steeple.

During the Reformation, all four inner-city churches initially became Protestant. This church became the first Catholic parish church in Dortmund after the Reformation in 1819. During industrialization and the associated influx of primarily Roman Catholic workers from the East, the number of community members increased sharply.

During WW II, the church was destroyed down to its surrounding walls. However, the church's most important art treasures had been stored away beforehand, so they survived the war. The church was rebuilt between 1947 and 1964.