Six places that will always remind you of Düsseldorf
Six places that will always remind you of Düsseldorf
Architectural icons among themselves
Düsseldorf has many architectural icons and the number is growing. Our selection makes Düsseldorfers' hearts beat faster for a variety of reasons.
St. Lambertus Basilica
St. Lambertus is one of the most famous landmarks of the historic old town. Its church consecration festival forms the spiritual backdrop to a secular event that is still very popular today, the Rhine fair. The three-nave hall church, built in the Lower Rhine brick Gothic style, was founded in 1288, the year the town was raised. Its current iconic appearance is the result of a fire in 1815, which destroyed the spire. When it was rebuilt, the wood used was probably too fresh and damp, causing the roof to twist. According to legend, however, the devil twisted the church tower when he tried to tear the church down.
Rhine Tower
The Rhine Tower is not only Düsseldorf's most famous landmark, but also the one with the greatest fun factor. Taking the elevator at a speed of four meters per second to cover the 168 meters to the viewing platform and then floating up another 4.5 meters to the level where the Qomo restaurant is now located is an experience in itself. But that's not all, because at lofty heights, things get really exciting: over sushi and marbled Wagyu beef, the Düsseldorf panorama glides past you in the Qomo within 72 minutes - during this time, the restaurant rotates once on its own axis. You can also enjoy your sundowner drink in the Bar & Lounge M 168 on the viewing level. With a total height of 240.50 meters, Düsseldorf's tallest building was built between 1979 and 1982 as a television tower. There is no better place to get an overview of the city's geographical features: MedienHafen, Altstadt, Hofgarten, Königsallee and the Rhine with its family of bridges - Düsseldorf is also beautiful from a bird's eye view!
Kuhna wall
The Kuhna Wall, which adjoins the Rhine embankment steps to the right and left, is no less recognizable with its hundreds of thousands of bright, shimmering dots of colour. "Rivertime" is the official title of the work. When artist and art professor Hermann-Josef Kuhna and his students dabbed the mural onto the side walls of the staircase on Burgplatz and the adjacent Rhine wall in 1997, it looked infectiously cheerful. 20 years later, the artwork was partially soiled and smeared, so that the friendly effect faded. Kuhna himself suggested replacing the acrylic paint with ceramic tiles to prevent future vandalism. In 2017, "Rivertime" was restored according to this idea and transformed from a mural to a mosaic. The artist died shortly afterwards. His work will now live on for a long time and now shines twice as brightly thanks to the ceramic sheen of the tiles.
Buildings on Gustaf-Gründgens-Platz:
Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus, Dreischeibenhaus & Kö-Bogen 2
The gleaming white, organically curved façade of the Düsseldorf Schauspielhaus is unmistakable. It was built between 1965 and 1969 according to the plans of Düsseldorf architect Bernhard Pfau, whose design won out over star architect Richard Neutra from Los Angeles. The building forms the design antithesis to the neighboring Dreischeibenhaus. As a testimony to the economic miracle, the latter grew into the sky between 1957 and 1960. The modernist glass and steel building, consisting of three staggered panes, is 94 meters high - a dizzying height for the time. The progressive design brought the architects Helmut Hentrich and Hubert Petschnigg international attention and has lost none of its modernist appeal to this day. On the contrary: the redesign of Gustaf-Gründgens-Platz between Düsseldorf Schauspielhaus and Schadowstraße by the renowned Düsseldorf architectural firm Ingenhoven has made the surrounding area even more attractive. New additions include a market hall with a walkable green roof based on the model of New York's Lincoln Center and a block of buildings with a stepped wall opposite, the Kö Bogen II, planted with eight kilometers of beech hedges. In combination with the Dreischeibenhaus and the Schauspielhaus, a new architectural triad has been created here, which has been enthusiastically received by the people of Düsseldorf. Very instagrammable!
Gehry buildings
A masterpiece that has almost become a symbol of modern Düsseldorf: the Neue Zollhof by US architect Frank O. Gehry stands for the structural change of Düsseldorf's port and for the architectural awakening in the state capital. Just in time for the turn of the millennium, the expressive ensemble of buildings was added to the list of Düsseldorf landmarks. Gehry created three sculptural, organically shaped buildings that are not subject to any geometry and also differ in terms of materiality, height and design language. The three façades are particularly rich in contrast: Clinker brick meets stainless steel and bright white plaster. But architecture fans are not the only ones who will get their money's worth at Neuer Zollhof: two restaurants on the first floor of the Gehry buildings, the Meerbar and Rocca 800 °C, also provide culinary delights.
The Ferris wheel
The funfair is a fixed date in the annual calendar for party-loving Düsseldorfers (alongside the carnival). When the showmen and women arrive on the Rhine meadows with their large vans in July and set up the Rhine funfair on the Oberkassler Ufer opposite the Old Town, the eyes of the locals start to light up. For the next ten days, the Ferris wheel on the Rhine - and everything in Düsseldorf - revolves around fun. Even if you're not a designated fairground junkie, a ride on the Ferris wheel is highly recommended. Because once the gondola has taken you to dizzy heights, you'll have a view of most of Düsseldorf's architectural icons: the Rhine Tower, the Gehry buildings, St. Lambert's Basilica and the Dreischeibenhaus. As these one and a half weeks always come to an end far too quickly according to the locals, there is a second opportunity to enjoy the city panorama from a height of 55 meters: In the fall and throughout the winter, a Ferris wheel is permanently installed on Burgplatz, where you can circle in heated gondolas. A highly romantic experience, especially during the Christmas market!
This article is funded by REACT-EU.
