BVB podcast tour Dortmund: 7 stations, 1909 origins

Seven stops through the steelworkers' city that forged a football club

A self-guided podcast tour of Dortmund's North City following 2.6 km and seven stations in about 1.7 hours, tracing Borussia Dortmund's origins among miners and steelworkers who defied the Catholic Church to build their own community. The audio guide in German and English plays on your phone at your own pace, starting whenever you choose.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Borussia Dortmund origins

• Visit imposing Catholic church
• See iconic Borussia Dortmund roundabout
• Stop at Borussia Dortmund birthplace pub
• View former Catholic orphanage
• Explore Westfalenhütte gatehouse
• Visit BVB's first home stadium location
• Walk through historical sports park

The experience

The tour begins at the Catholic church where Kaplan Hubert Dewald's strict anti-football stance accidentally sparked the rebellion that led to BVB's founding. From there you walk to the iconic roundabout (the symbolic heart of the club and the site of championship celebrations), then to the pub where 18 young men gathered in 1909 to found the club despite the church's physical resistance. The route moves through the former orphanage that shows the scale of the church's social power, the structure the workers were pushing back against.

A former gatehouse of the Westfalenhütte steel plant stands as the fifth stop, representing the brutal working conditions that shaped the 'Malocher': the laborers whose identity became inseparable from the club. The tour then reaches the site of BVB's first home stadium, built by fans themselves before the Nazi regime seized it in 1937 and forced the club to move to the Rote Erde. The final stop is the historical sports park built on expropriated club grounds, which the workers' community eventually reclaimed as a center for popular sports culture.

You control the pace entirely: start whenever you want, pause at any station, and listen through the app on your own phone. The audio is available in German and English, and the whole route covers 2.6 km across North City. Public transportation options are nearby if you need them.

What’s included

• Access to the self-guided podcast tour via app.
• audio guide in German and English.
• flexible start time and individual pace.
• use on your own smartphone.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Under 13: can't be booked

Audio guideEnglish and German

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 11 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Red Thread

Is this one for you?Choose this self-guided walk if you want to move through BVB's 1909 origins at your own pace rather than follow a group schedule. You'll cover 2.6 km across seven stations in the North City where steelworkers built the club from a pub meeting.

Top questions

What is the route like physically? How much walking is involved?

The tour covers 2.6 km across Dortmund's North City, visiting seven stations over roughly 1.7 hours at your own pace. It's suitable for all fitness levels, and public transportation is available nearby if you need a break or want to skip between stops.

Can I start the tour whenever I want, or are there set times?

This is a self-guided tour with flexible start times, so you begin whenever suits your day. You download the app, play the audio on your phone, and move through the seven stations at your own speed.

What languages is the audio guide available in?

The podcast tour is available in German and English, so you can choose whichever language you prefer before you start.

Why did the church matter so much to BVB's founding story?

The Catholic Church controlled much of North City's social infrastructure and opposed football as frivolous. Kaplan Dewald's strict anti-football stance actually triggered the rebellion among young steelworkers and miners who wanted their own community space, which became Borussia Dortmund in 1909.

Is there a minimum age for this tour?

The tour is suitable for ages 13 and up. Service animals are allowed throughout the route.