On the right coast of the Rhine, at a distance of 30 kilometers downstream from Cologne, lies the beautiful city of Dusseldorf, which bears the proud name "capital of the earth." This is one of the richest settlements in Germany, its industrial and business center. Dusseldorf sights attract a huge number of tourists. Due to its rich history, there are many interesting, unique places and structures.
For centuries, the city was the residence of the Dukes of Berg, whose brilliant courtyard attracted musicians, artists and writers. Here you can see the monumental architecture of the Middle Ages, and ultramodern buildings. Here, the largest banks of the world and pubs are peacefully located in the neighborhood. But first things first.
The heart of the city - Aldstadt
Aldstadt is that part of the city where modern Düsseldorf once began. That is why it is rightly called the "heart of the city." Translated, the name of the area sounds like "Old Town". Here the streets and squares are paved with cobblestones. Many buildings were built in the 17-18 centuries.
Almost all the main attractions of Dusseldorf are located in this area. Its eastern border runs along the most beautiful alley of Heinrich-Heine, named after a German writer. In the Old Town there are the Academy of Arts, the Art Collection of the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia, the City Museum of Dusseldorf, the Heinrich Heine Museum, the Ceramics Museum, and the Cinema Museum.
Famous theater scenes are also located here. This concert hall Tonhalle, and Dusseldorf Theater, and the German Rhine 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 Kauffhaus department store, built in the Art Nouveau style.
In addition, it is in the Old Town that all tourists are sent for recreation. Here, the townspeople themselves like to spend free evenings. In a small area concentrated 260 bars, cafes, clubs and restaurants. It is precisely because of this that Dusseldorf was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as a settlement with the longest bar counter in the world.
Some of the 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 Dusseldorf castle, the inner courtyard of which was called Burgplatz. History has prepared a difficult share for this building: the castle burned several times, was subjected to shelling. Due to significant damage, it was necessary to completely demolish its western wall.
As a result, an area formed on the Rhine promenade, where locals with pleasure began to take walks. Today, various entertainment events are held here, including New Year's ones, fairs and a carnival are held.
In the area of this square are many sights of Düsseldorf, among which the only tower of the Düsseldorf castle that has survived to this day, which currently houses the Museum of Shipping.
Karlplatz square (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, consisting of three wings, each of which was erected at a different time. The first is considered the oldest. He 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, while the third was damaged by bombing during World War II. Its corner was so badly destroyed that they didn’t even try to restore it, but simply rounded it off.
In addition to the Town Hall, an equestrian monument to the Elector of the Palatinate Johann-Wilhelm is installed on the square. In the vicinity there is a monument of the City Exaltation, telling about the history of the city. On New Year's holidays, a tree is set up here, Christmas markets are held. And if you find yourself in Dusseldorf on November 11, you can see the carnival dedicated to St. Martin’s Day here.
Churches and temples
Strolling 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 religious buildings that have a rich history. One of the most important Catholic buildings is the Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, designed 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 magnificent building was decorated in a neo-Gothic style. The main value of the church is a body with 44 registers.
No less attractive building in the Romanesque style is the church of Saint-Lambertus, located in the vicinity of Marktplatz. Its building was built in the 13th century and to this day has practically retained its original appearance. The main feature of the church is that it has its own leaning tower, similar to the leaning tower of Pisa. The church has a rich decoration. In addition, two great shrines are stored here: the miraculous icons of “Mary the Victorious” and “Mary the Quick Help”.
On the Kurzenstrasse stands the Church of St. Andrew, which is one of the favorite among the townspeople. Various religious events are often held here.
Bridges
Sights of Dusseldorf (reviews confirm this) in addition to magnificent buildings and structures, they include beautiful bridges on their list, including Reinkney, 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, whose height is 240 meters. 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 multi-colored lights.
In addition, under the bridge is a variety show. On one side of the structure there is Reilpark Bilk, and on the other - Media Harbor, which is an interesting object of modern architecture.
No less interesting is the south bridge of Cardinal Frings, erected in 1951. This is the only automobile non-cable bridge in the city. In close proximity to it there is a botanical garden with the famous greenhouse under the 18-meter dome, Heinrich Heine University.
Fountains - a worthy decoration of the city
When looking at Dusseldorf, pay attention to the fountains. So, on the Morenstrasse street is the Albert Moren fountain, which is a solid architectural ensemble built of shell rock. It is dedicated to the memory of the famous professor-ophthalmologist. In its central part, a pedestal with the image of three children was erected: a girl holds an ophthalmic mirror in her hand, a crying boy sits nearby, the second reads a book. On the front of the pedestal you can see the bronze bas-relief of Morena.
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 huge fish. He is surrounded by small children who splash in the water.
Interesting places for children
The city has many unique places that are interesting not only for adults, but also for young guests who arrived with their parents in Dusseldorf. Attractions for children are, first of all, amusement parks, a planetarium, a children's theater. A popular place is the aquatic zoo Aquazzo.
Here you can see various reptiles, insects and fish living in modern aquariums, penguins, fur seals, toothy sharks and unusual turtles. Once in a tropical room, you can watch how giant colorful butterflies flit over the heads of visitors and small hummingbirds fly. On the territory of Aquazzo there is an equipped pond with crocodiles.
Other interesting places of the city
Continuing to explore the sights of the city, take a look at the Grafenberg Racecourse, where horse shows and broods are held, as well as equestrian competitions.
The Südpark garden and park complex is also noteworthy, which amazes tourists with the sophistication of small architectural forms, as well as its delightful nature.
In the area of the central station is the Japanese Quarter, the pearl of which is the Japanese Garden.
Benrath Palace
Continuing to explore the sights of Dusseldorf and the surrounding area, one can not help but remember the Benrath Castle, located 10 kilometers from the city, on the border with Cologne. It is a beautiful pink palace, built in the Rococo style in the 18th century. This is an amazingly beautiful masterpiece of architecture, having a refined interior, unique paintings and sculptures. He is surrounded by outbuildings 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 inextricably linked with the architecture of the palace, forming a single whole with it.