State capital Düsseldorf

Düsseldorf is a major city. It is also the capital of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Here’s how that came about: At the end of the Second World War, Germany was devastated and occupied by soldiers from Great Britain, France, the USA and the Soviet Union. The country was divided into four occupation zones.

The present-day state of North Rhine-Westphalia was formed in 1946 from the former provinces of Westphalia and the Rhineland, as well as the state of Lippe. Three years later, it became a state of the Federal Republic of Germany. Düsseldorf was designated as its capital.

What is a state capital? Each German state has a parliament that decides on important laws for the state. It is called the Landtag. The Landtag is made up of women and men elected by the people for five-year terms. Each state also has a state government.

At the head of the state government is a minister-president. The state government includes ministries and agencies responsible for administering the state. Teachers, for example, are civil servants or state employees, and their boss is the minister of education.

Since 1988, the members of the state parliament have met in a building near the Rheinknie Bridge. Its circular forms are a distinctive feature of the building. It has a debating chamber where the members meet, and six other semicircular buildings. The large debating chamber can seat more than 200 members and 350 visitors.

On December 31, 2023, Düsseldorf had exactly 655,717 residents. That makes it the second-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia; only Cologne has more people. Most of the city lies on the right bank of the Rhine. Düsseldorf gets its name from the small river Düssel, which flows into the Rhine here.

For many centuries, the dukes of Jülich-Berg ruled here and made Düsseldorf their capital. A monument was erected to one of these dukes, known as Jan Wellem, and became a landmark of Düsseldorf.

The city is now an important business centre. Many industrial companies were established here as early as the 19th century. This was due above all to its favourable location on the Rhine. Ports and freight facilities were built. Trade fairs and stock exchanges were also established, some of which are still operating today.

Düsseldorf’s growth was helped by many of the Ruhr region’s major coal and steel companies moving their administrative offices to the city. Düsseldorf was known as the “desk of the Ruhr.” Even today, many major companies and government agencies are run from Düsseldorf. The city is also home to a university.

Düsseldorf’s city centre is right by the Rhine. Today, you can walk 1.5 km along the river on the Rhine embankment promenade. In the past, Federal Highway 1 ran here, but it was moved into a tunnel beneath the promenade. Since then, cyclists and pedestrians have had access to the Rhine again, and steps lead down to the river.

Viewing platforms offer lovely views over the Rhine, and you can stop for a meal or a drink at the cafés and restaurants. Special events are often held along the promenade. Sometimes spectacular fireworks light up the sky, for example during fairs or the annual Japan Day. They look especially beautiful over the Rhine.

A marathon also takes place along this route every year, and there has even been a cross-country skiing competition here. Since it rarely snows in Düsseldorf, artificial snow had to be used.

Jan Wellem’s real name was Johann Wilhelm of the Palatinate. He was one of the dukes who once ruled the Duchy of Jülich-Berg. He commissioned many magnificent buildings in Düsseldorf, including his own equestrian statue, which was erected in front of the town hall in 1711.

To this day, it stands in a central location on Düsseldorf’s market square. The square is bordered on three sides by Düsseldorf City Hall. Over time, City Hall has been expanded repeatedly and now consists of five separate wings. These are known as the “Old City Hall” and the “New City Hall.”

The New Town Hall was built in 1884. It once had a tall tower, but it was destroyed during the Second World War. The start of Carnival is celebrated every year at 11:11 a.m. on 11 November in Düsseldorf's market square.

The Tonhalle in Düsseldorf is a concert hall built on the banks of the Rhine in 1925/26. It was originally used as an exhibition space for trade fairs. Later, it was intended to be used as a planetarium, which is why it was built with a dome. The dome is 38 metres in diameter. It was partially destroyed during the Second World War.

In the 1970s, it was converted into a concert hall. Today, the large concert hall can seat 1,800 people, and there is also a smaller hall with 300 seats. Düsseldorf also has numerous museums, such as the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, with three exhibition venues.

The TV tower in Düsseldorf is near the Rhine, which is why it is also known as the Rhine Tower. It was built between 1978 and 1982. Standing 240 meters tall, it is the tallest building in the city. The tower transmits radio and television signals, and is also a popular visitor attraction.

At a height of 170 metres there is a café, with a restaurant above it. Below the café is an observation deck offering a wonderful view over Düsseldorf and the Rhine. The restaurant completes one full rotation in an hour. A special feature of the Düsseldorf TV Tower is a light sculpture considered the world’s largest digital clock. The time is displayed using illuminated symbols. The tower’s spire is lit blue-violet at night.

It is one of Germany’s best-known and most expensive shopping streets. It is often called the “Kö” for short. It was laid out as a grand boulevard in 1804 and was first called Kastanienallee. It was later renamed Königsallee.

The city fortifications once stood here. That is why the street is still so wide today, with a canal running through it. Königsallee is lined with many upscale fashion stores, banks, restaurants and luxury hotels.

The present-day city of Düsseldorf grew out of the Old Town, which is now just one of the city's 50 districts. It lies right beside the Rhine and the Düssel and remains the city centre. Most of the Old Town is pedestrianised. There are numerous shops here. In a small area, you can visit more than 300 pubs, clubs and restaurants.

This is where people eat, drink and celebrate. A particularly popular drink is dark Altbier. Düsseldorf’s Old Town is sometimes called “the longest bar in the world”. The Old Town gets especially lively during Carnival. Düsseldorf is not only the “desk of the Ruhr”, but also a Carnival stronghold in the Rhineland.