Posted by Düsseldorf’s old town is probably the most famous old town in the whole of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is famous above all for its gigantic nightlife and many pubs. It is probably the biggest party district in NRW. The pubs in Dusseldorf’s Old Town are covered in another article. This page is about the sights in the Old Town. There is a lot to discover here – old buildings, museums, churches and much more. The following is a short tour of Dusseldorf’s Old Town.
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Round trip in Dusseldorf on the Rhine by boat The most important river in Germany flows through Dusseldorf. Round trips by boat (duration 1 hour) are popular among tourists. You can see the old town if Dusseldorf, modern quarters and get a great impression of the city. More info and online booking: Click here |
Image: @ Jakob Kamender – Fotolia.com
For many people, the central square in Dusseldorf is Burgplatz. It is located in the old town directly on the Rhine. This is where the small Dussel stream flows into the Rhine. It gave the city its name. On Burgplatz is the castle tower (see picture above). For several decades now, it has housed the worthwhile Schifffahrtmuseum (Maritime Museum). It documents the thousands of years of history of Rhine shipping.
Our tip: Brewery tour through Düsseldorf with free beer (Altbier): More info and online booking
Just a few steps south of Burgplatz is Dusseldorf’s famous town hall. The digital debt clock at the town hall is interesting. It shows how long Dusseldorf has been debt-free – in contrast to almost all other cities, the rich city has had no debt for about 10 years. The facade is in rococo style and dates mostly from the 18th century. In front of the town hall is the market square.
Another sight in Düsseldorf’s northern old town is the Lieferhaus (picture below) in Liefergasse. It is the oldest building in the city and dates back to the 13th century.
The Heinrich Heine birthplace in Bolkerstraße, in the middle of the pub district, is much visited. Today, the birthplace of the poet Heinrich Heine (1797 – 1856) houses a good literary bookshop.
Back at Burgplatz, you will find a famous monument and a no less famous fountain. The town elevation monument (picture below) depicts the story of the receipt of the town charter of the former Rhine fishing village on the Düssel in 1288.
Also on Burgplatz is the Ratschläger fountain. The figures of the gymnasts (Ratschläger) have become a kind of symbol for Dusseldorf and tourists encounter them everywhere in the city.
Furthermore, there are other sights in the old town, especially museums and churches. The Film Museum in Schulstraße is a must-see. No less interesting is the Theatre Museum just outside the Old Town.
Düsseldorf’s most beautiful church is probably the St. Andrew’s Church in the middle of the old town – a baroque building in the southern German style. The Neanderkirche, Dusseldorf’s first Protestant church, is only a stone’s throw away. Another sight worth seeing is the St. Maximiliankirche in the south of the old town (also Baroque style).