On the right bank of the Rhine at a distance of 30 kilometers downstream from Cologne lies the beautiful city of Düsseldorf, which is proudly called the "capital of the earth". This is one of the richest settlements in Germany, its industrial and business center. The sights of Dusseldorf attract a huge number of tourists. Thanks to the rich history, there are many interesting, unique places and structures here.
The city was for centuries the residence of the Dukes of Berg, whose brilliant courtyard attracted musicians, artists and writers. Here you can see both the monumental architecture of the Middle Ages and ultra-modern buildings. Here, the world's largest banks and pubs are peacefully located in the neighborhood. But first things first.
Heart of the city - Aldstadt
Aldstadt is the part of the city where modern Düsseldorf once began. That is why it is rightly called the "heart of the city". In translation, the name of the district sounds like "Old Town". Here the streets and squares are paved with cobblestones. Many buildings date back to the 17th and 18th centuries.
Almost all the main attractions of Dusseldorf are located in this area. Its eastern border runs along the most beautiful alley Heinrich-Heine, named after the German writer. The Old Town houses the Academy of Arts, the Art Collection of the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia, the Dusseldorf City Museum, the Heinrich Heine Museum, the Ceramics Museum, and the Cinema Museum.
Eminent theater stages are also located here. This is the concert hall Tonhalle, and the Düsseldorf Theater, and the German Rhenish Opera. Traditionally for most German cities, there is a market square on which the old city hall rises. Along with historical architectural monuments, modern skyscrapers also attract attention, including the house of Wilhelm Marx and the Kaufhaus department store, built in the Art Nouveau style.
In addition, all tourists go to the Old Town for recreation. The townspeople themselves also like to spend their free evenings here. There are 260 bars, cafes, clubs and restaurants in a small area. It is thanks to this that Düsseldorf was included in the Guinness Book of Records as a settlement with the longest bar counter in the world.
Some sights of Dusseldorf located in the Old Town, we will consider in more detail.
The oldest square in the city - Burgplatz
This is the oldest place in the city, because it was here that more than 700 years ago this settlement began to emerge with the construction of the Düsseldorf Castle, the courtyard of which was calledBurgplatz. History has prepared for this building a difficult fate: the castle was repeatedly burned, subjected to shelling. Due to significant damage, its western wall had to be completely demolished.
As a result, a square was formed on the Rhine embankment, where the locals began to take walks with pleasure. Today, various entertainment events are held here, including New Year's events, fairs and a carnival.
Many Dusseldorf attractions are located in the area of this square, including the only tower of the Dusseldorf Castle that has survived to this day, which currently houses the Museum of Shipping.
Karlplatz (Marktplatz)
South of Burgplatz is another square - Karlplatz, which appeared around the end of the 14th century. What sights of Dusseldorf can be seen here? On the market square you can see the City Hall, which consists of three wings, each of which was built at different times. The first is considered the oldest. It goes to Marktplatz. The main decoration is the clock tower. This is where the main entrance is located. The second wing houses an art gallery, but the third was damaged by bombing during the Second World War. Its corner was so badly damaged that they did not even try to restore it, but simply rounded it off.
In addition to the Town Hall, there is an equestrian monument to the Elector of the Palatinate Johann Wilhelm on the square. In the vicinity there is a monument of the City Elevation, which tells aboutthe history of the city. On New Year's holidays, a Christmas tree is set up here, and Christmas markets are held. And if you find yourself in Düsseldorf on November 11, you can see the carnival dedicated to St. Martin's day here.
Churches and temples
Walking through such an amazing and beautiful city as Dusseldorf (Germany), you can see various sights. You can supplement the list of already indicated places with places of worship that have a rich history. One of the most important Catholic buildings is the Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, built by architect Becker in 1896. During the Second World War, it was bombed, as a result of which it was partially destroyed. After reconstruction, this majestic building was decorated in neo-Gothic style. The main value of the church is the organ, which has 44 registers.
No less attractive building in the Romanesque style is the Church of St. Lambertus, located in the vicinity of Marktplatz. Its building was built in the 13th century and has almost retained its original appearance to this day. The main feature of the church is that it has its own leaning tower, similar to that of Pisa. The church is richly decorated. In addition, two great shrines are kept here: the miraculous icons "Mary the Conqueror" and "Mary the Helper".
On Kurzenstrasse rises the Church of St. Andrew, which is one of the favorites of the townspeople. Various religious events are often held here.activities.
Bridges
Sights of Dusseldorf (reviews confirm this), in addition to majestic buildings and structures, include in their list the most beautiful bridges, including the Reinkni, connecting such areas of the city as Oberkassel and Unterbilk. It is a single-span asymmetric bridge structure with a width of 30 meters. It offers magnificent views of the city.
From here you can see the Rhine Tower, which is 240 meters high. It has an excellent observation deck and a revolving restaurant. Especially beautiful view - in the evening and at night, when it is covered with a huge number of colorful lights.
In addition, there is a variety theater under the bridge. On one side of the building there is the Reinpark Bilk, and on the other side there is the Media Harbor, which is an interesting object of modern architecture.
No less interesting is the Cardinal Frings South Bridge, built in 1951. This is the only road non-cable bridge in the city. In the immediate vicinity is the botanical garden with the famous greenhouse under the 18-meter dome, Heinrich Heine University.
Fountains are a worthy decoration of the city
While looking at Dusseldorf, pay attention to the fountains. So, on the Morenstrasse street there is a fountain of Albert Morin, which is a solid architectural ensemble built of shell rock. It is dedicated to the memory of the famous ophthalmologist professor. In its central part, a pedestal with the image of three children was erected: a girl holds an ophthalmic instrument in her hand.a mirror, a crying boy sits next to him, the second one reads a book. On the front of the pedestal you can see the bronze bas-relief of Morin.
Düsseldorf's hallmark is the magnificent Triton Fountain, located on Königs-Allee. In its central part there is a sculpture - the mythical Greek god Triton, who fights with a huge fish. He is surrounded by small children who are splashing in the water.
Interesting places for kids
There are many unique places in the city that are interesting not only for adults, but also for young guests who come to Dusseldorf with their parents. Attractions for children are, first of all, amusement parks, a planetarium, a children's theater. A popular place is the Aquazzo water zoo.
Here you can see various reptiles, insects and fish that live in modern aquariums, penguins, fur seals, toothy sharks and unusual turtles. Once in the tropical hall, you can watch how giant colorful butterflies flutter over the heads of visitors and small hummingbirds fly. On the territory of Aquazzo there is an equipped pond with crocodiles.
Other interesting places in the city
Continuing your sightseeing of the city, check out the Grafenberg Hippodrome, where shows and horse shows, as well as equestrian competitions take place.
Worthy of attention is the garden and park complex Südpark, which amazes tourists with the sophistication of small architectural forms, as well as delightfulnature.
Japanese quarter is located near the central station, the pearl of which is the Japanese garden.
Benrath Palace
Continuing to look at the sights of Dusseldorf and its environs, one cannot help but recall the Benrath Castle, located 10 kilometers from the city, on the border with Cologne. It represents a beautiful pink palace, built in the Rococo style in the 18th century. This is an amazingly beautiful masterpiece of architecture, which has an exquisite interior, unique picturesque and sculptural decoration. It stands surrounded by wings for courtiers. A greenhouse was built near the building, there is a beautiful park with an artificial pond, baroque fountains and pools. The park is inseparably connected with the architecture of the palace, forming a single whole with it.
