Editing Dortmund (section)

===Shopping===
[[File:Westenhellweg.jpg|thumb|Westenhellweg]]
The [[Westenhellweg]] is a popular shopping destination and with nearly 13,000 visitors per hour it was Germany's most frequented shopping street in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.handelsdaten.de/statistik/daten/studie/236346/umfrage/ranking-der-beliebtesten-einkaufsstrassen-deutschlands-2013/|title=Beliebteste Einkaufsstraßen in Deutschland – Statistik|website=Handelsdaten.de|access-date=20 September 2015|archive-date=11 November 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141111235616/http://www.handelsdaten.de/statistik/daten/studie/236346/umfrage/ranking-der-beliebtesten-einkaufsstrassen-deutschlands-2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> During the Middle Ages, Dortmund was the only free imperial city in Westphalia, having already been regarded as an important centre of trade. Today some of the most reputed shops, department stores have stores here. It is a pedestrian-only area and is bordered by the [[Reinoldikirche]] in the east and [[Dortmund U-Tower|U-Tower]] in the west. The Westenhellweg has one of the highest rents for retail and office space in [[North Rhine-Westphalia]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dortmund-tourismus.de/en/goingout-shopping/shopping-guide/shopping-guide/shopping-miles/hellweg.html|title=DORTMUNDtourismus -&nbsp;Hellweg|website=Dortmund-tourismus.de}}</ref>

Three more shopping malls occupy the Thier-Galerie; [[Metro AG|Galeria Kaufhof]] and [[Arcandor|Karstadt]], as well as large fashion retail clothing stores. During the month before [[Christmas]], the extended pedestrian-only zone is host to [[Dortmund Christmas Market]], one of the largest and oldest Christmas markets in Germany. With more than 3.5 million visitors and 300 stalls around a gigantic Christmas tree that stands 45 metres tall, it is one of the most visited and popular market in the world.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.topnews.de/weihnachtsmaerkte-koeln-ist-publikumsmagnet-325655 |title=Weihnachtsmärkte: Köln ist Publikumsmagnet : Topnews |publisher=Topnews.de |access-date=2013-05-06 |archive-date=12 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170612123720/http://www.topnews.de/weihnachtsmaerkte-koeln-ist-publikumsmagnet-325655 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In close proximity to the Dortmund concert hall lies the Brückstraßenviertel – a quarter hub especially for young people. The "Rue de Pommes Frites", which is what the Dortmund citizens have called the Brückstraße, has turned into a modern shopping promenade, geared towards a younger market.

For a long time, the Kampstraße had a shadowy existence as a parallel street to the Westenhellweg and Ostenhellweg, but it has become a grand boulevard containing specialist stores. Right next to the Kampstraße is the Kleppingstraße – a shopping street with a high concentration of gastronomy and expensive, prestigious shops. It is located between the Ostenhellweg and Neutor to Wallring.