Düsseldorf

The Rhine tower, the North Rhine-Westphalia parliament, the Gehry Buildings, the city gate or Colorium – MedienHafen is a hotspot for creative architecture in Düsseldorf. Several international architects played a creative role in the reconstruction of the old Rhine port area. Frank O. Gehry, David Chipperfield, Joe Coenen, Steven Holl and Claude Vasconi were among those who made a creative contribution to make it what it is today. Those goods depots which were protected by a preservation order had to be renovated with hi-tech engineering and creative interior design. The ancient storerooms have been recreated with a new style and grace. However, you can still feel the old port atmosphere everywhere despite all the reconstruction. Just a decade ago the warehouses were nothing but immense empty spaces inside. Today, various television channels and radio stations, and advertising and media agencies, design bureaus and suchlike have all set up shop inside. So that’s where the name came from: MedienHafen, which means media harbour. The MedienHafen also plays in the premier league where hospitality is concerned. From the exquisite “Berens am Kai”, with a Michelin star, through the “most golden” curry sausage in Düsseldorf, to a cosy cocktail in the evening – the restaurateurs here have adapted to their heterogeneous clientele, which is composed of business customers during the day and the funky in-crowd in the evening, who all meet up to party at the stylish “Rudas Studios” advertising film venue or at the “Port Seven”.

The Rheinturm (built 1979 – 1982, architect H. Deilmann) is a striking landmark on the Düsseldorf’s Rhine skyline. It stands on the edge of the southern city centre, at the entrance to the MedienHafen, right beside the North Rhine-Westphalian parliament building (Landtag) and the building of the public broadcaster, Westdeutscher Rundfunk. It is 240.5 metres high, with a glass-fronted 180-seat restaurant at an altitude of 172.5 metres that rotates on its axis. A bar and lounge is located below the restaurant (168m) as is a viewing platform (164m) with a breathtaking view of the Rhine metropolis: the MedienHafen, the Altstadt, the Hofgarten, Königsallee and the Rhine with its family of bridges all lie at the feet of the tower. When the weather is good, one can see as far as Cologne Cathedral. Thanks to a level entrance in the basement of the tower, the building offers barrier-free access.

Düsseldorf has the third largest Japanese community on the European continent after Paris and London. In the vicinity of the Immermannstraße, you can find a wide range of Japanese supermarkets, book shops, restaurants and more.

Two cities, two branches: The Deutsche Oper am Rhein and the Ballett am Rhein Düsseldorf Duisburg have jointly performed at Düsseldorf’s Opernhaus (1,292 seats) and Theater Duisburg (1,079 seats) since 1956. With one of the largest opera ensembles in the world and one of the major ballet companies in the German-speaking region, it is one of the prime addresses for musical theatre and dance in Europe. The programme includes: Grand Opera from baroque rarities all the way to contemporary musical theatre and a ballet that sets new standards with uncompromising aesthetics.

The Museum Kunstpalast, which was redesigned by Oswald Matthias Ungers and opened in 2001, is located in the centre of Düsseldorf, right on the Rhine river. Ever since it reopened, the house has gained a splendid international reputation with its high-quality exhibitions, such as Miró, Dalí, Warhol, Caravaggio, "Bonjour Russia", "Diana and Actaeon" and Per Kirkeby. The permanent exhibit too, whose spectrum ranges from medieval sculptures to an outstanding assortment of Baroque graphic works up to paintings of the Düsseldorf School of Painting and Expressionism, as well as contemporary photography, is held in great esteem all over the world. The Hentrich Glass Collection is also found in the Museum Kunstpalast, and is the most comprehensive glass collection in Europe, tracing the development of glass artistry without interruption from luxury glass objects of the pre-Roman period up to glass art from contemporary studios. The Robert Schumann Hall, a multifunctional hall offering a sophisticated program running from chamber music to cabaret, is also integrated into the museum.