Overview

Dusseldorf – the work hard, play hard city lures tourists

Dusseldorf, the capital of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, is a posh and modern city that paradoxically, was named for the ‘little village on the River Dussel’. But that was once upon a time and a lot of water has flown through the Dussel and Rhine Rivers and today Dusseldorf is known as the Rhineland's most elegant and richest cities, braised with strong money and a solid cultural foundation. It is the largest financial center in Germany after Frankfurt and is the home base of the country’s elite, a trendsetting fashion scene and a great place to party.

Best known for its cosmopolitan culture, its avant garde fashion scene and fairs, Dusseldorf attracts thousands of visitors every year and not every one is there on business. The city draws casual tourists to its downtown – the Alstadt area which has been fondly nicknamed ‘the longest bar in the world’ for its hundreds of bars closely knitted with clubs and beer houses; the Koningsallee is a big attraction as is the city’s famed nightlife. At first, Dusseldorf may seem like a city only for the jet setting, cut throat business suits but if you look a little closer the city’s joie de vivre is well in place and frankly, quite infectious!

Dusseldorf makes a good city break if you are touring Germany or have some time before all that Octoberfest madness starts in nearby Munich. Its great fun to explore the pedestrianised old city in hope of discovering a hidden gem or just hitting one of the 500 plus clubs and discos that line the area’s cobbled streets. Just south of Altstadt lie some of the city’s fantastic museums and galleries and are a big tourist draw.

Though the city is big and commercial with banks and industrial offices bouncing off the walls; skyscrapers looming large and the traffic running at a maddening pace; Dusseldorf is also a great place to feed your wanderlust. Try its nightlife, its fabulous Japanese restaurants or its old churches – the city is sure to win your heart.

The Dusseldorf Story

How the village became the city!

The early inhabitants of the area we know as Dusseldorf today were Germanic tribes that successfully managed to hold their own against the rampaging Romans who were out to claim as much of Europe as was possible with their brute force and superior strategy. The tribes on the marshy lands on the east bank of the Rhine resisted and won and moved on to the 7th and 8th centuries building small fishing and farming villages. These small settlements grew rapidly and later on consolidated to become Germany’s glimmering, rich city called Dusseldorf.

Although the first written records that mention Dusseldorf go back to 1135, the city was granted official town rights only in 1288 by Count Adolf V of Berg. This event was preceded by the defeat of Cologne in the battle of Worringen - allegedly the origin of the rivalry between the cities still seen, albeit in good humor, during the Carnival and in most sporting events where the two are pitted against each other.

Dusseldorf grew in leaps and bounds in the 14th century when a market square was built on the banks of the Rhine and a periphery of protective walls was built around it. In 1380, Dusseldorf received the honor of becoming the seat of power of the Duchy of Berg and in the following centuries several of the city’ s landmarks were constructed, the most prominent of which was the Collegiate Church of St. Lambertus.

The Golden Age of the city came into being during the rule of the Prince Elector Johann Wilhelm, who ruled the city from 1679 to 1716. Jan Wellem, as he was affectionately known, was the enlightened Renaissance ruler par excellence and married into the Medici family which later became a key player in the development of the city's trade and infrastructure, as well as being a benevolent patron of the arts.

This golden era began its gradual decline in the years after the death of the childless Johann Wilhelm. The new Elector Karl Theodor robbed the city of its status by moving the electoral court to Munich, the Napoleonic Wars brought destruction and poverty and post Napoleon and the city passed into the Kingdom of Prussia in 1815. However, the city’s fortunes saw a revival with the Industrial Revolution when all the automation started making profits for the city’s economy. The city grew and grew, building bridges so it could spread to the other side of the Rhine.

The Second World War razed nearly 80% of the core of the city as well as nearly decimated the city’s thronging Jewish Population - out of a pre-war Jewish population of 5100, only 249 survived. Post-war, the British occupied the region and made Dusseldorf the capital of the newly-created state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

In the present day, Dusseldorf is home to the headquarters of several insurance, telecommunication and advertising companies along with numerous banks as well as a large number of Japanese companies, which explains why Dusseldorf looks like ‘Little Nippon’! The city’s trade shows attract suits from every developed country on the globe and its vibrant art scene and numerous top-notch art museums reel in artists and performers.

Dusseldorf has managed to remain a provincial city with cosmopolitan affluence and style. It has green spaces; high-brow tastes in shopping and museums, and is the second-most important art market in the country, after Cologne.

The Dusseldorf Season

You can visit Dusseldorf throughout the year as the weather is never on the extremes. That said summer time seems to be preferred by most tourists as the weather Gods are happier and much of the café and pub action moves outdoors. Dusseldorf is not a huge city like New York but it never feels overcrowded except during the big spring and autumn trade shows. If your visit coincides with the furious business deals time, make sure you have booked your hotel well in advance.

The winter season brings its own delights to the city and this is never truer than in December when the Christmas market is in full swing and in February when the entire city erupts in serious partying the big pre-Lent Carnival bash.