Düsseldorf began as a small settlement at the mouth of theDüssel River, gaining city rights in 1288 after theBattle of Worringen. In theLate Middle Ages andRenaissance, it grew into a regional political and cultural centre under theDukes of Berg and later as the capital of theUnited Duchies of Jülich-Cleves-Berg. The 17th and 18th centuries saw flourishing arts and architecture, with Düsseldorf becoming known for its court culture and earlyart academy. During theNapoleonic era, it was briefly part of theGrand Duchy of Berg before coming underPrussian control in 1815, where it industrialised rapidly in the 19th century. During the 20th century, Düsseldorf developed into one of Germany’s most important centres for administration, business, and culture. In 1946, it became the capital of the newly created state of North Rhine-Westphalia, strengthening its political role.
The nameDüsseldorf is derived from the small riverDüssel, which joins theRhine at the city’s location.[14] The suffix-dorf (German for "village") reflects the original character of the settlement as a fishing and farming community on the riverbanks. Thus, the literal meaning of Düsseldorf is"village on the Düssel."
As the settlement expanded and developed into a regional and later international centre, the name remained unchanged. Düsseldorf is unusual among Germany’s major cities in having retained the-dorf suffix, which is otherwise mostly associated with small villages.
When theRoman Empire was strengthening its position throughout Europe, a fewGermanic tribes clung on inmarshy territory off the eastern banks of theRhine.[15] In the 7th and 8th centuries, the oddfarming orfishing settlement could be found at the point where the small riverDüssel flows into the Rhine. It was from such settlements that the city of Düsseldorf grew.
The first mention of Düsseldorf dates from 1135–1159; in 1162 it was referred to asThusseldorp.[14] UnderEmperor Friedrich Barbarossa the small town ofKaiserswerth to the north of Düsseldorf became a well-fortified outpost, where soldiers kept a watchful eye on every movement on the Rhine. Kaiserswerth eventually became a suburb of Düsseldorf in 1929.
In 1186, Düsseldorf came under the rule of theCounty of Berg, a state of theHoly Roman Empire. Around 1206, the settlement was likely separated from the parish ofBilk and became an independent parish.[14] In 1263, theCount of Berg granted ferry rights to the inhabitants.[14]
14 August 1288 is one of the most important dates in the history of Düsseldorf, the day the sovereign CountAdolf VIII of Berg grantedtown privileges to the village on the banks of the Düssel. Before this, abloody struggle for power had taken place between theArchbishop of Cologne and his allies arrayed against the count of Berg and other local powers, culminating in theBattle of Worringen.[citation needed] The Archbishop of Cologne's forces were wiped out by the forces of the count ofBerg, who were supported by citizens and farmers ofCologne and Düsseldorf, paving the way for Düsseldorf's elevation to city status, which is commemorated today by a monument on the Burgplatz.
After this battle the relationship between Cologne and Düsseldorf deteriorated, because they were commercial rivals; it is often said that there is a kind of hostility between the citizens of Cologne and Düsseldorf. Today, it finds its expression mainly in a humorous form (especially during the RhinelandKarneval) and in sports.[citation needed]
Under the art-lovingJohann Wilhelm II (r. 1690–1716), a vast art collection comprising numerous paintings and sculptures was established in theStadtschloss (city palace). After his death, the city fell on hard times again, especially after ElectorCharles Theodore inherited Bavaria and moved the electoral court toMunich. With him he took theart collection, which became part of what is now theAlte Pinakothek in Munich.
Destruction and poverty struck Düsseldorf after theNapoleonic Wars.Napoleon made Berg aGrand Duchy and Düsseldorf its capital. In 1806,Joachim Murat (1767–1815) becameGrand Duke of Berg but handed power over to Napoleon in 1808.[14] Düsseldorf was visited by Napoleon in November 1811.[14]Johann Devaranne, a leader ofSolingen's resistance to Napoleon's conscription decrees, was executed in the city in 1813.
Following theCongress of Vienna in 1815, theRhineland including Düsseldorf was incorporated into theKingdom of Prussia.[14] Düsseldorf lost its status as a capital, but became the seat of aregional governor and of the Rhenishprovincial diet [de] established in 1824.[14] In 1820, the city lost its municipal independence and was incorporated into the District of Düsseldorf, to which it belonged until 1872.[14]
During the period ofindustrialisation, Düsseldorf benefited from its favourable location on the Rhine, its proximity to theRuhr region, opportunities to expand into the surrounding areas, and its connection to various railway lines.[14] From the 1850s onwards, numerous industrial enterprises, particularly in the iron, steel, and chemical industries, settled in Düsseldorf, greatly increasing the demand for labour.[14] The city also developed into a centre for associations, trade unions, and corporate headquarters, growing into an important industrial and commercial city by the end of the 19th century.[14] Düsseldorf’s population grew from 40,000 in 1850 to 100,000 in 1882.[14] In 1908 and 1909, the partially industrialised towns ofWersten,Gerresheim,Eller,Heerdt,Himmelgeist,Ludenberg,Rath,Stockum, andVennhausen were incorporated into the city.[14]
DuringWorld War I, theRoyal Naval Air Service (RNS) undertook the firstEntente strategic bombing missions on 22 September 1914, when it bombed the Zeppelin bases in Düsseldorf.[16] As both a garrison town and an armaments centre, Düsseldorf was particularly affected by the war.[14]
After the war, the city was occupied by Belgian andBritish forces after 1918 and by French troops from 1921 to 1925.[14] In 1920, Düsseldorf became the centre of theGeneral Strike that grew out of the resistance to theKapp Putsch. On 15 April 1920, 45 delegates of the German Miners Union were murdered by theFreikorps.[17]
DuringWorld War II, Düsseldorf was the location of a Nazi prison with severalforced labour subcamps,[18] five subcamps of theBuchenwald concentration camp for mostly Polish and Soviet prisoners, but also French, Dutch, Belgian, Czech, Italian, Yugoslav,[19] and a camp forSinti and Romani people (seeRomani Holocaust).[20] The Rabbi of the Düsseldorf Jewish Community fled to the Netherlands and died in KZAuschwitz in 1943.[21]
In 1946, Düsseldorf was made capital of the newly establishedstate ofNorth Rhine-Westphalia. The establishment of ministries and thestate parliament gave the city an important political role that it retains to the present day.
The immediate postwar decades were marked by reconstruction. Much of the old town and city center was rebuilt, though partly in modernist forms rather than historical replicas. Düsseldorf emerged as a key economic hub during theWirtschaftswunder ("economic miracle") of the 1950s and 1960s, attracting industries such as steel, machinery, chemicals, and banking. From the 1960s onwards, the city developed into one of Germany’s most important centres for trade fairs and international business. TheMesse Düsseldorf became a leading venue for global exhibitions.
Beginning in the 1950s, theJapanese community of Düsseldorf grew significantly as numerous Japanese companies opened offices in the city.[23] The growing expatriate population led to the founding of the Japanese Club Düsseldorf in 1964.[23] Two years later, in 1966, the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry was established, which formalised the coordination of Japanese corporate interests in Germany.[23] In 1971, theJapanese International School in Düsseldorf was established, followed by the creation of aJapanese garden inNordpark [de] in 1975.[24] By the 1980s, Düsseldorf hosted the largest Japanese community in Germany.[25] The city developed a distinctive "Little Tokyo" district alongImmermannstraße, where Japanese shops, restaurants, and cultural institutions were established.[23]
The late 20th century saw the decline of heavy industry, but the city transitioned towards services, telecommunications, fashion, and advertising. AfterGerman reunification in 1990, Düsseldorf consolidated its status as a political, economic and cultural centre. From the late 20th century, urban renewal measures included the redevelopment of theMedienhafen (Media Harbour), with new buildings designed by international architects.
The course of the Düssel from its source in the Düssel Hill Country (Düsselhügelland) (de) through theNeandertal to Düsseldorf, where it forms threebifurcations, dividing into the four branches (from north to south) Kittelbach, Nördliche Düssel, Südliche Düssel and Brückerbach
Düsseldorf lies at the centre of theLower Rhine basin, where the delta of theDüssel flows into the Rhine. The city lies on the east side of the Rhine, exceptDistrict 4 (Oberkassel,Niederkassel,Heerdt andLörick). Across the Rhine, the city ofNeuss stands on the delta of theErft. Düsseldorf lies southwest of theRuhr urban area, and in the middle of theRhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.
Düsseldorf is built entirely onalluvium, mud, sand, clay and occasionally gravel. The highest point in Düsseldorf is the top of Sandberg in the far eastern part of the city (Hubbelrath borough) at 165 metres (541 ft). The lowest point is at the far northern end inWittlaer borough where the Schwarzbach enters the Rhine, with an average elevation of 28 metres (92 ft).
The city has anoceanic climate (Köppen:Cfb, mild in relation toEast Germany).[26] Like the rest of the lowerRhineland, Düsseldorf experiences moderate winters with little snowfall and mild to warm summers. The average annual temperature is 11.0 °C (52 °F) with an average yearly precipitation of 751 mm (30 in). The dominant wind direction is from the west with velocities in the range of 3–4 m/s (7–9 mph), with gusts of 3.5–4.8 m/s (7.8–10.7 mph). The wind is calm (defined as being under 2 m/s or 4.5 mph) about 35% of the time, more frequently at night and in the winter.[27][28]
Climate data for Düsseldorf (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1981–present)
Population size may be affected by changes in administrative divisions.Source:[32][33]
With a population of 653,253 within the city boundaries (31 December 2022),[34] Düsseldorf isGermany's sixth largest city. Its population surpassed the threshold of 100,000 inhabitants during the height of industrialisation in 1882, and peaked at just over 705,000 in 1962. The city then began to lose residents, with many moving into neighbouring municipalities. However, since the late 1990s, the city's population has been slowly rising again.
According to municipal data, as of 2019, 272,982 people, or 42.6% of Düsseldorf's residents had amigration background.[35] Around 25.5% of the population held foreign citizenship in 2024.[36] At the end of 2023, the largest groups of foreign citizens wereTurkish,Ukrainian,Greek,Polish, andItalian nationals.[37] Among these, Turkish citizens formed the largest single group, numbering approximately 12,800 persons.[37] Düsseldorf and its surroundings have the third-largestJapanese community in Europe and the largest in Germany (about 11,000 people).[38][39] As of 2023, 6,265 Japanese nationals lived in the city proper.[37]
As early as 2006, 35.5% of Düsseldorf’s population did not belong to any organised religious community. At that time, the non-religious population already formed the largest group in the city, ahead of the Catholic and Protestant churches.[48] At the end of February 2025, theEvangelical Church had 85,269 members, and at the end of 2024 theRoman Catholic Church had 147,648 members, together representing just over one-third of the city’s 658,245 inhabitants.[49][50] In addition to the major Christian denominations, Düsseldorf is also home to numerousEastern Orthodox communities andfree churches.
Düsseldorf has the third-largestJewish community in Germany—afterBerlin andMunich—with around 7,000 members.[51] TheNew Synagogue, located on Zietenstraße inGolzheim, was inaugurated in 1958.
Düsseldorf is home to numerousMuslim communities, which do not form a single umbrella organisation but are structured according to the national backgrounds of their members—Turkish, Bosnian, Moroccan, and other mosque associations. The largest Turkish organization, theTurkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs (DITIB), operates three mosques in Düsseldorf, located inLörick,Eller, andDerendorf. According to a calculation based on census data for residents with a migration background, the proportion of Muslims in Düsseldorf was 8.3% (about 48,900 people) in 2011.[52]
In the district ofNiederkassel stands the onlyJōdo ShinshūBuddhist temple in Europe, located on the grounds of the Japanese Ekō House established by the Japanese community.
Since 1975, Düsseldorf is divided into ten administrative boroughs. Each borough (Stadtbezirk) has its own elected borough council (Bezirksvertretung) and its own borough mayor (Bezirksvorsteher). The borough councils are advisory only. Each borough is further subdivided into quarters (Stadtteile). There are 50 quarters in Düsseldorf.[53]
The Düsseldorf city council (Düsseldorfer Stadtrat) governs the city alongside the mayor. The most recent city council election was held on 14 September 2025, and the results were as follows:
TheKönigsallee is a luxury shopping street in the centre of Düsseldorf.
Düsseldorf is among the leading economic centres of Germany. The city combines a strong service economy with diversified industrial activity. As of 2023, Düsseldorf’sGDP was approximately €62.7 billion, making it the 8th highest among German cities in terms of economic output.[56] In 2024, the city’s unemployment rate averaged 7.7%.[57]
Düsseldorf forms a joint economic region with the neighbouring district ofMettmann. It is the wealthiest economic region inNorth Rhine-Westphalia. As of 2023, the region had aGDP per capita of around €72,900, with the city of Düsseldorf itself reaching €93,600 per capita, while the district of Mettmann was closer to the state average at €46,300. Productivity, measured as GDP per working hour, was also significantly higher than the state average: employees in the Düsseldorf region generated about €71.3 per hour, compared with €61.2 per hour in North Rhine-Westphalia. The region’spurchasing power is the highest in North Rhine-Westphalia, both per capita and per household.[58]
Düsseldorf has become one of the toptelecommunications centres in Germany. With two of the four big German providers of mobile frequencies,D2 Vodafone andE-Plus, Düsseldorf leads the Germanmobile phone market. There are many foreign information and communication technology companies in Düsseldorf such asHuawei,NTT,Ericsson,Oppo,Vivo andXiaomi.[59] There are 18internet service providers located in the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia.Eurowings, a low-cost carrier wholly owned by theLufthansa Group, is headquartered in the city.
Businesses operating in Düsseldorf includePeek & Cloppenburg (fashion);Uniper (electricity generation);L'Oréal Germany (cosmetics and beauty);Net mobile AG (business-to-business service provider in mobile telecommunications);Henkel AG & Co. KGaA (branded consumer goods and industrial technologies);Rheinmetall (automotive and arms);Teekanne GmbH & Co. KG (tea bags and iced tea products);Metro (wholesale, retail);Ceconomy (retail);BASF personal care & nutrition (formerlyCognis – chemicals, headquarters in Monheim near Düsseldorf, but production mainly in Düsseldorf).[citation needed]Daimler AG builds theMercedes-Benz Sprinter light commercial vehicles in Düsseldorf.
The "Kö", which stands forKönigsallee ("King's Avenue"), is a shopping destination. Many jewellery shops, designer labels, and galleries have store locations here. The Kö has among the highest rents for retail and office space in Germany.[60]
The city is an importantfinancial center.[61] More than 30,000 people work for the financial and insurance sector in Düsseldorf.[62] There are around 170 national andinternational financial institutions, and about 130 insurance agencies, and one of Germany's eightstock exchanges.HSBC has its German headquarters in Düsseldorf and employs 3,000 people.NRW.BANK is a development bank of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and the largest state development bank in Germany. NRW.BANK was spun off fromWestLB in 2002. TodayDeutsche Bank andCommerzbank have major branches in Düsseldorf with about 2,000 employees. Düsseldorf is also the most important German financial center for Japanese credit institutions.MUFG Bank,SMBC andMizuho have offices in Düsseldorf. Also the German retail banking division ofSantander (known asSantander Consumer Bank) has its headquarters in the Düsseldorf region. Some major insurance companies such asERGO, a subsidiary ofMunich Re, andARAG are located in the city. Several other major financial service companies have their headquarters in the city.
Messe Düsseldorf is a major trade fair organiser whose events attract hundreds of thousands of visitors annually and contribute substantially to the local economy. Among the best-known fairs aredrupa (printing and paper technologies),boot Düsseldorf (one of the world’s largest boat and water sports exhibitions), andMEDICA (medical technology).
In 2023, Messe Düsseldorf organised 27 trade shows in the city, attracting 26,866 exhibitors and 1,146,874 visitors.[63] Of these, about 78% of exhibitors came from abroad.[64]
Bilingual street sign (German/Japanese) on Immermannstraße
Düsseldorf is notable for its high concentration of foreign companies. Since the 1960s, there has been a strong relationship between the city andJapan. Many Japanese banks and corporations have their European headquarters in Düsseldorf – so many that Düsseldorf has the third largestJapanese community in Europe, afterLondon andParis.[38][39] The city also attracts multinationals from other countries:L’Oréal (France),Vodafone (United Kingdom), andHuawei (China) are examples of major international companies with a strong presence.
As of 2023, more than one in six member-companies of the Düsseldorf Chamber of Commerce and Industry had majority foreign ownership.[65] Between 2010 and 2023, the number of foreign companies grew by 60%.[65]
Düsseldorf is home to studios of the public broadcastersWestdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR Studio Düsseldorf) andZweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF Regional Studio Düsseldorf). Programs from NRW.TV andQVC also originate from Düsseldorf. The statewide educational television channel NRWision features on its media platform TV programs about Düsseldorf or produced by TV creators from Düsseldorf.[66]
The city is also home to the 1990-foundedVerbands der Betriebsgesellschaften in Nordrhein-Westfalen e. V. (Association of Operating Companies in North Rhine-Westphalia (BGNRW)), which represents the interests of 43 operating companies in the North Rhine-Westphalian local radio sector. The private radio station Antenne Düsseldorf, which receives a framework program from Radio NRW, is located in Düsseldorf. Radio for Düsseldorf’s universities is produced byhochschulradio düsseldorf, acampus radio station with its own 24-hour frequency. StreamD has existed since 2020.
Düsseldorf is additionally the highest-revenue advertising location in Germany. Alongside major agencies such asBBDO,Grey,Ogilvy & Mather,Havas, andPublicis, numerous smaller agencies have their headquarters or a German branch office in Düsseldorf.
Düsseldorf Airport, also referred to as Rhein-Ruhr Airport, is located eight kilometres (5 miles) north of the city centre in the district ofLohausen and can easily be reached by train or theS-Bahn urban railway. There is along-distance train station served by regional and national services, which is linked to the airport by theSkyTrain, an automaticpeople mover. Another station situated under the terminal building carries the S-Bahn line (S11) toDüsseldorf Central Station, and toCologne as well as a few selected night services.
After those of Frankfurt, Munich and Berlin, Düsseldorf Airport is Germany's fourth largestcommercial airport, with 25.5 million passengers annually (2019).[67] The airport offers 180 destinations on four continents, and is served by 70 airlines.[citation needed]
The airport buildings were partly destroyed by a devastating fire caused by welding works in 1996, killing 17 people. Following this event, it was completely rebuilt and the Skytrain was installed.
At Düsseldorf Central Station—the main long-distance station, located at its current site since 1891—these railway lines (except the freight line) are connected with each other, with the city’s light rail system, and with the rest of the public transport network.
On the Cologne–Duisburg line near the airport liesDüsseldorf Airport Station, where, in addition to trains on one S-Bahn line and all sevenRegional-Express lines, some of the ICE and EC/IC trains stopping here also call. Passengers and visitors can reach the airport terminals, located about 2.5 kilometers away, via theSkyTrain. There is also a second rail connection to the airport through the underground terminus stationDüsseldorf Airport Terminal, served by another S-Bahn line during the day and by extended nighttime services of several Regional-Express and additional S-Bahn lines.
Also on the Cologne–Duisburg line, but in the south of Düsseldorf, isDüsseldorf-Benrathregional station, served throughout the day by two Regional-Express lines and one S-Bahn line. Also notable isDüsseldorf-Bilk station on the Mönchengladbach–Düsseldorf line, a heavily used transfer point between four Regional-Express lines, one Regionalbahn line, three S-Bahn lines, the light-rail trains operating on theWehrhahn Line, and the bus connections to Heinrich Heine University.
Including the stations mentioned above, there are 25 S-Bahn stations within the city.
In freight rail transport, however, Düsseldorf is no longer a railway hub since the closure and demolition of its Düsseldorf-Derendorfmarshalling yard. The largestfreight yard in the Düsseldorf railway area is now in the neighboring city of Neuss.
In addition to stationary car sharing, where vehicles must be returned to their original location after use,one-way carsharing vehicles have also been available for hire since 2012. These vehicles, which can be parked anywhere where parking is normally allowed within Düsseldorf, can be rented from Car2go, Greenwheels, Stadtmobil and DriveNow.[68]
The Berliner Allee, which runs in a north–south direction, is one of Düsseldorf’s principalarterial roads.
After World War II, city traffic planning was shaped mainly by Friedrich Tamms, a proponent of thecar-oriented city. In addition to projects such as theRheinkniebrücke and theOberkasseler Brücke [de], he planned a third high-capacity north–south axis betweenGolzheim andWersten. TheBerliner Allee [de] and the elevated road continuing northward—nicknamed theTausendfüßler (lit. "centipede"), demolished in April 2013 and replaced by tunnels beneath the Kö-Bogen—were central projects on this axis and were built between 1954 and 1962.
The federal highwaysB1 andB8 cross the city in a north–south direction, while theB7 runs east–west. The B228 connectsDüsseldorf-Benrath withHilden,Haan, andWuppertal. Düsseldorf is unique in Germany in that three single-digitfederal highways run along the same alignment. Their present course and character are the result of:
Today, all federal highways in the city primarily serve urban through-traffic and traffic to and from themotorways, which outside the city area have taken over the role of federal highways in the long-distance road network. North Rhine-Westphalia has the densest network of motorways in Germany and Düsseldorf is directly accessible via theA3,A44,A46,A52,A57,A59 andA524.
Düsseldorf has a dense network ofS-Bahn, light rail (Stadtbahn),tram, and city bus lines, all of which are part of theRhine-Ruhr Transport Association (VRR). Public local transport (ÖPNV) within the city area is operated byRheinbahn,Regiobahn, and various companies in regional rail transport. All lines can be used with VRR tickets. Beyond the VRR tariff area, the NRW tariff applies, and for journeys toward the greater Cologne area, the tariff of theVerkehrsverbund Rhein-Sieg (VRS) also applies.
Atram network was developed toward the end of the 19th century, initially using cars pulled by horses along the tracks, and from 1896 switched to electric operation.[69] This rail network also included interurban lines toKrefeld (the K-Line) andDuisburg (the D-Line), as well as fromBenrath to Solingen-Ohligs. The connections to Krefeld and Duisburg still exist today as Stadtbahn lines U70 and U76 (Krefeld), and U79 (Duisburg). Additional cross-city lines run to Neuss and Ratingen. As the light rail network expanded, the tram network decreased from 19 lines in 1981 to seven lines in 2018, with a route length of 70.2 kilometers.[70][71][72]
TheDüsseldorf light rail system currently consists of eleven lines. Seven of them run through the inner-city tunnel, opened in 1988, between theHeinrich-Heine-Allee underground station and the central station. Another tunnel route for four new light rail lines, the Wehrhahn Line, was opened on February 20, 2016. Heinrich-Heine-Allee station is the central transfer point between all light rail lines. All tunnel routes have above-ground approach tracks, only some of which have dedicated or special trackways.
Bus lines have been operating in Düsseldorf since 1924. In addition to city bus lines within the city area, regional buses provided connections to other cities, particularly after operations on someinterurban tram lines were discontinued. In the meantime, Rheinbahn has discontinued its line toJülich and shortened other lines toEssen, Velbert,Solingen,Leichlingen,Opladen, andMoers. Today, connections still exist toMülheim an der Ruhr,Mettmann,Erkrath, Solingen-Ohligs,Langenfeld, andMonheim; express buses now also run toHaan. Today, 42 city bus lines and seven express bus lines operate within the city. Buses are also an essential component of night service on Friday/Saturday nights, Saturday/Sunday nights, and nights before public holidays. Eight NightExpress lines operate between midnight and 5:00 a.m. at 30- or 60-minute intervals.Metrobus service on three lines began on August 20, 2018.
Düsseldorf is connected to several national and international long-distance cycling routes, including theRhine Cycle Route.[73] The city is a member ofArbeitsgemeinschaft fußgänger- und fahrradfreundlicher Städte, Gemeinden und Kreise in Nordrhein-Westfalen (Working Group of Pedestrian- and Bicycle-Friendly Cities, Municipalities, and Districts in North Rhine-Westphalia).
Since 2008, Düsseldorf’s city centre has had abicycle-sharing system with a network structure that is also suitable for one-way trips.[74] The operator is the companynextbike.Pedelecs can be rented at the bicycle station at the main train station.[75] Since 2020, rental bicycles of Deutsche Bahn (Call a Bike) may no longer be parked in public street space in Düsseldorf, such as on sidewalks. The City of Düsseldorf issued an administrative order requiring the operator to remove the entire fleet from public spaces and to refrain from parking the bicycles there in the future.[76][77]
Düsseldorf is the only city in Germany whose pedestriantraffic lights have a separate yellow phase.[78] Here, the yellow signal is indicated by a rectangular yellow bar. During this time, pedestrians have the opportunity to clear the intersection without having to walk against a red signal, as they would in other cities. Immediately after the pedestrian signal switches from yellow to red, the green phase for cross traffic begins. Before the green phase for pedestrians, there is also a short red-yellow phase lasting less than one second.
Düsseldorf Marina with the Media Harbour in the background
With the centrally located harbour in thedistrict of the same name and theReisholz harbour — whose expansion has been planned for a long time — two transshipment points for goods are available to Rhine shipping within the city area. Through the Rhine, the connected canals, and theMain–Danube Canal, Düsseldorf is extensively linked to the Europeaninland waterway network — including theEms,Weser,Elbe,Oder, andDanube — as well as to major seaports on theNorth Sea and theBlack Sea. There is a sports and yacht harbour at Rheinpark Golzheim.
Between the Old Town andKaiserswerth, passenger ships of the Weisse Flotte Düsseldorf operate regularly; before 1993, they were operated byRheinbahn.Köln-Düsseldorfer Rheinschifffahrts AG (KD) also has landing stages within the city area. With the Langst–Kaiserswerth Rhine ferry and the ferry betweenUrdenbach andZons, two car ferries are still in service. A third car ferry operated betweenHimmelgeist and Uedesheim until the opening of theFlehe Bridge in 1979. Today, on Sundays in good weather, a passenger ferry with bicycle transport operates there. For several years now, passenger ferries have also operated between theRheinkirmes fairgrounds and the Old Town.
Düsseldorf is one of Germany’s arts and culture hubs. ElectorJan Wellem and his wifeAnna Maria Luisa de' Medici of Tuscany, were patrons of Düsseldorf's first significant cultural activities in the 17th and 18th centuries. In addition to the largeNorth Rhine-Westphalia Art Collection and other museums and galleries, the city is home to the renownedDüsseldorf Art Academy, which produced theDüsseldorf School of Painting in the 19th century and the Düsseldorf School of Photography in the 20th century. Well-known stages such as theSchauspielhaus and theKom(m)ödchen are represented in the city. Moreover, several of Germany’s popular musicians and poets were born in Düsseldorf or made the city their home.Heinrich Heine; Clara andRobert Schumann;Felix Mendelssohn, andJoseph Beuys are among the most prominent artists related to the city.
The city hosts numerous museums and galleries covering a broad range of artistic disciplines. TheKunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen (K20 and K21) displays an extensive collection of modern and contemporary art, including works byPablo Picasso,Paul Klee,Gerhard Richter, andJoseph Beuys.[81] TheMuseum Kunstpalast, located near the Rhine, houses artworks from the medieval period to the present day and is known for its collection ofBaroque painting andglass art. Several smaller institutions contribute to Düsseldorf’s cultural landscape, including theNRW Forum, which focuses on photography, design, and digital culture, and theKunst im Tunnel (KIT), which exhibits contemporary art in a tunnel space beneath the Rhine promenade. TheHetjens-Museum [de], dedicated to ceramics, and theGoethe-Museum [de], located inSchloss Jägerhof, further reflect the city’s diverse museum scene.
In addition to visual arts, Düsseldorf maintains a variety of museums that cover science, history, and regional culture. TheFilmmuseum Düsseldorf [de] showcases the history of film and cinema technology, including equipment and screenings of classic films. TheAquazoo Löbbecke Museum combines zoological exhibits with natural history, featuring local and exotic animal species alongside ecological and environmental displays. TheStadtmuseum Düsseldorf [de] provides an overview of the city's history and culture, displaying artifacts ranging from prehistory to contemporary times.[82] TheHaus der Geschichte Nordrhein-Westfalen [de] presents the history and development of North Rhine-Westphalia, highlighting themes such as democracy, diversity, and societal change.[83] Additionally, theSchifffahrtsmuseum [de] documents the city’s maritime history and its development as a major Rhine port.
Düsseldorf has a theatre tradition that can be traced back to the 16th century. The earliest theatrical events are dated to the year 1585. The presentDüsseldorfer Schauspielhaus, with its modern curved architecture, was completed in 1970 and is the city's largest theatre. It is located onGustaf-Gründgens-Platz, named after the former artistic director.
Other major theatres in the North Rhine-Westphalian metropolis include theForum Freies Theater, which presents performing arts; theKomödie Düsseldorf, a classicboulevard theatre; theTheater an der Kö, which primarily offers comedies and modern plays and is run by the well-known Heinersdorff theatre family; theTheater an der Luegallee inOberkassel; theKaBARett FLiN in Grafenberg; and the Savoy Theatre.
For children, theTheateratelier Takelgarn—with comedy, cabaret, puppetry, and children’s theatre—is particularly appealing. The Puppet Theatre on Helmholtzstraße, as well as the DüsseldorfMarionette Theatre, caters to both children and adults. The latter was founded in 1956 and is located in Palais Wittgenstein, which also houses various other cultural projects.
TheDeutsche Oper am Rhein also has a very long tradition. At its two venues in Düsseldorf and Duisburg, it presents opera, operetta, and ballet.
The Apollo Varieté, located beneath theRheinknie Bridge on the Carlstadt riverbank, offers classic variety theatre in the style of the early 20th century.
TheTonhalle Düsseldorf, built in 1925 as a planetarium, is a venue for concerts and other musical events spanning classical music, jazz, pop, and cabaret.
TheCapitol Theater is the largest theatre in the state capital and hosts changing productions of musicals and live entertainment.
TheKom(m)ödchen is the oldest cabaret stage in Germany still in existence.[84] It was founded in 1946 by Kay andLore Lorentz. Many cabaret artists who later became prominent first proved themselves here.
Tanzhaus NRW (stylized astanzhaus nrw) in Düsseldorf is an institution for dance founded in 1998. It offers stage performances, professional dance training, the development of productions within the framework of choreographer residencies, as well as a wide range of educational opportunities through courses and workshops under one roof.
Kraftwerk, a pioneering electronic music band from Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf has been home to a number of influential music artists and bands, particularly in theelectronic andkrautrock genres, withKraftwerk being the most prominent example. As one source describes, "This is the place whereNeu! conceived the motorik beat,Harmonia dreamed up ambient,Die Krupps expanded the idea of industrial, and where those brilliant mensch-maschines Kraftwerk, declared: 'We are the robots'."[85]
The city's best-known contribution to the culture of modernpopular music is the influential avant-gardeelectronic bandKraftwerk. Formed by two Düsseldorf-born musicians,Kraftwerk is internationally known as the most significant band in the history ofpost-warGerman music and as pioneers in electronic music.[86]
Other influential musical groups originating from Düsseldorf includeNeu!, formed in 1971 byKlaus Dinger andMichael Rother, after their split from Kraftwerk,[87] andLa Düsseldorf, also formed by Dinger in 1976 shortly after Neu! disbanded. Both groups had a significant influence on a variety of subsequentrock,post-punk, andelectronic music artists.[88]
Internationally knownpower metal bandWarlock was formed in Düsseldorf in 1982. Its frontwoman,Doro Pesch, has had a successful solo career in Europe and Asia sinceWarlock ended. Thepunk bandDie Toten Hosen, the electronic actD.A.F., as well as the electronic/industrial pioneersDie Krupps, all originated in Düsseldorf.
Düsseldorf appears in several songs, includingDüsseldorf by the British indie bandTeleman andWärst du doch in Düsseldorf geblieben by Danish singerDorthe Kollo.
The romantic poetHeinrich Heine was born in Düsseldorf in 1797.
Düsseldorf has a long literary tradition that reflects its role as a cultural centre of theRhineland. The city is associated with theRomantic poetHeinrich Heine, who was born in Düsseldorf in 1797 and spent his childhood there.[89] TheHeinrich Heine Institute [de] preserves his manuscripts and correspondence, and also functions as a research centre and museum dedicated to 19th- and 20th-centuryGerman literature.[90]
Contemporary literary life in the city is supported by the Literaturbüro NRW, which organises readings, workshops and projects to promote authors and literary education across Düsseldorf and North Rhine-Westphalia.[91] The annual Literaturtage Düsseldorf (Düsseldorf Literature Days) presents a programme of readings and events at venues across the city.[92] In addition, the Central Library Düsseldorf regularly hosts author readings and cultural programmes, strengthening the city's reputation as a hub for literary exchange.[93]
Düsseldorf has been thefashion capital of Germanyfor decades; it is also a major cultural centre for the art scene. Berlin, Germany's 'fashion capital' until 1945, lost its position because of itsspecial location within theSoviet occupation zone. After themonetary reform of 20 June 1948, fashionable clothes trends gained importance.Igedo organised fashion shows staged in Düsseldorf starting in March 1949.[97]There are a number of schools dedicated to fashion design in Düsseldorf, among themAkademie Mode & Design (de),Design Department, andMode Design College.[98]
One of the biggest cultural events in Düsseldorf is theKarneval (also referred to as the "fifth season") which starts every year on 11 November at 11:11 a.m., and reaches its climax onRosenmontag (Rose Monday), featuring a huge parade through the streets of Düsseldorf.Karneval ends onAschermittwoch (Ash Wednesday).
Düsseldorf's cartwheeler (Düsseldorfer Radschläger) is said to be the city's oldest tradition. There are different theories about its origin. The cartwheeler symbol appears on souvenirs, and many things in Düsseldorf owe their names to the cartwheeler.[citation needed]
Cartwheelers can be found at several fountains within the city and near many small landmarks. The most famous is Cartwheeler's Fountain onBurgplatz (de). The fountain was designed by Alfred Zschorsch in 1954 and donated byHeimatverein Düsseldorfer Jonges, which is a club devoted to the maintenance of local and regional traditions. Other cartwheelers can be found decorating storm drains and thedoor knocker of the Church of Lambertus, designed by Friedrich Becker. Becker also created the cartwheeler in front of the Schadow Arcades.[citation needed]
The tradition has been kept alive by theAlde Düsseldorfer Bürgergesellschaft von 1920 e. V., a society founded in 1920, which organised the first cartwheeler competition on 17 October 1937. This event has been held annually since 1971.[99] Formerly held onKönigsallee, since 2006 it has taken place on theRheinwerft, near the Old Town. In an art projectRadschläger-Kunst (Cartwheeler Art) launched in 2001, over 100 cartwheeler sculptures were designed by various artists. They were positioned around the city centre. Some of the sculptures have been auctioned off to companies and private owners.[citation needed]
Traditional meals in the region are RheinischerSauerbraten (a beef roast and sometimes horse marinated for a few days in vinegar and spices served with gravy and raisins) andHeaven and Earth (Himmel und Äd;black pudding with stewed apples mixed withmashed potatoes). In winter the people like to eat Muscheln Rheinischer Art (Rhenish-style mussels) as well asReibekuchen which is a fried potato pancake served with apple sauce.
Düsseldorf is known for its strongDijon-likemustard served in a traditional pot called "Mostertpöttche", which was immortalised in astill life byVincent van Gogh in 1884.[100] Therefore, also among the local dishes is the Düsseldorfer Senfrostbraten, including medium rare steaks roasted with Düsseldorf mustard and onion crust. Sides may include roast potatoes and a small salad in a restaurant, making this local dish a menu staple where upscale cuisine is served. Düsseldorf's Old Town has over 250 pubs and bars, often serving Altbier in a 0.25-liter glass. Düsseldorf Altbier is top-fermented beer of spicy aroma.[101]
Düsseldorf is noted for its diverse culinary scene. It hosts a largeJapanese community, which has contributed to a strong presence of authenticAsian cuisine. Düsseldorf’s gastronomy has been recognised by the travel guideLonely Planet for its quality and variety. In addition to a wide range of international dining options, the city is home to severalMichelin-starred restaurants.[102]
Local specialties include:
Halve Hahn – this dish is made from a half a double rye roll, which is another of the specialties of Düsseldorf, buttered, with a thick slice of aged Gouda cheese, onions, mustard, ground paprika and sour pickles.
Himmel un Aad – a dish of mashed potatoes and apples along with slices of blutwurst. Caramelized onions are usually served with this meal.
Reibekuchen is another famous dish from Düsseldorf; this dish is usually drizzled with Rübensyrup (beet syrup) and is served on pumpernickel slices along with applesauce.[103]
Altbier, a traditional top-fermented beer typical of Düsseldorf.
Düsseldorf is well known for itsAltbier,[104] a hoppy beer which translates asold [style] beer, a reference to the pre-lager brewing method of using a warmtop-fermenting yeast like British pale ales.[105] Over time the Alt yeast adjusted to lower temperatures, and the Alt brewers would store or lager the beer after fermentation, leading to a cleaner, crisper beer. The name "altbier" first appeared in the 19th century to differentiate the beers of Düsseldorf from the newpale lager that was gaining a hold on Germany.[106]
Brewers in Düsseldorf used the pale malts that were used for the modern pale lagers, but retained the old ("alt") method of using warm fermenting yeasts. The first brewery to use the name Alt was Schumacher, which opened in 1838.[107] The founder, Mathias Schumacher, allowed the beer to mature in cool conditions in wooden casks for longer than normal, and laid the foundation for the modern alt – amber coloured and lagered.[108] The result is a pale beer that has some of the lean dryness of a lager but with fruity notes as well.[109]
There are five brewpubs in Düsseldorf that brew Altbier on site:Brauerei im Füchschen [de], Schumacher,Hausbrauerei Zum Schlüssel [de],Uerige [de], and Brauerei Kürzer. Four of the five are in the historic centre (Altstadt); the fifth, Schumacher, lies between the Altstadt andDüsseldorf Hauptbahnhof, but also maintains an establishment in the Altstadt (Im Goldenen Kessel) across the street fromHausbrauerei Zum Schlüssel.
Each (except Brauerei Kürzer) produces a special, secret, seasonal "Sticke" version in small quantities, though the names vary: Schlüssel spells it "Stike", without the "c", while Schumacher calls its special beer "Latzenbier", meaning "slat beer", possibly because the kegs from which it was poured had been stored on raised shelves.[110] Füchschen's seasonal is its Weihnachtsbier (Christmas beer), available in bottles starting mid-November, and served in the brewpub onChristmas Eve.[111]
EveryChristmas, the city of Düsseldorf uses the city centre to host one of the largest Christmas gatherings in Germany. The Christmas festival occurs every year from 17 November until 23 December. This Christmas festival is responsible for a large portion of tourism every year as many people from nearby areas come to the city to drinkmulled wine and hot chocolate and watch craftsmenblow glass and create art. The event takes place among many small wooden buildings all clustered in the middle of the city for all the citizens to enjoy. The event, to many visitors, has an old European feel, but is very lively.
Düsseldorf andCologne have had a "fierce regional rivalry".[112] The rivalry includescarnival parades,football,ice hockey andbeer.[112] People in Cologne preferKölsch while people in Düsseldorf preferAltbier.[112] Some Waiters and patrons will "scorn" and make a "mockery" of people who order Alt beer in Cologne and Kölsch in Düsseldorf.[112] The rivalry has been described as a "love-hate relationship".[112]
Rheinturm (TV tower), the city's main landmark (1982: 234 m [ 768 ft ], since 2004: 240.50 m [ 789.0 ft ]), the lights of which comprise the world's largestdigital clock
Düsseldorf's mainfootball teamFortuna Düsseldorf won the 1933 German championship, theGerman Cup in 1979 and 1980, and were finalists in theEuropean Cup Winners Cup in 1979. They currently play in the2. Bundesliga, after being relegated from theBundesliga in 2020. They play their matches in theMerkur Spiel-Arena (formerly known as the "ESPRIT Arena" from 2009–2018 and as the "LTU Arena" before 2009), a multi-functional stadium with a capacity of 54,500 people.
Other sports in Düsseldorf areice hockey (theDüsseldorfer EG which play in thePSD Bank Dome) andAmerican football. TheDüsseldorf Panther are one of the most successful teams in Germany with sixGerman Bowl titles and theEurobowl victory in 1995. In addition the Junior Team are the most successful youth department in Germany with fifteenJunior Bowl victories.Rhine Fire Düsseldorf were an established team of theNFL Europe and won theWorld Bowl two times in 1998 and 2000. Düsseldorf has a successfulrugby union team (Düsseldorf Dragons), who as of 2017/18 play in the western division of the 2. Bundesliga, the second tier of German rugby.[117]
theKunstakademie Düsseldorf[119] (Academy ofFine Arts) which is famous for high-profile artists like Joseph Beuys, Paul Klee, Nam June Paik, Gerhard Richter, the Bechers, and Andreas Gursky
The city of Düsseldorf awards, in addition to honorary citizenship, other honors and distinctions.
Since 1972, theHeinrich Heine Prize has been awarded every three years, and since 1981 every two years, to “individuals who, through their intellectual work in the spirit of the human rights for whichHeinrich Heine advocated, promote social and political progress, serve international understanding, or spread awareness of the interconnectedness of all people.” The predecessor of this prize was theImmermann Prize.
The Helmut Käutner Prize is an award given every two years to individuals who “through their work have strongly supported and influenced the development of German film culture, promoted its understanding, and contributed to its recognition.”
Since 1972, the city of Düsseldorf has awarded seven annual grant prizes for outstanding artistic achievements to artists in the fields of visual arts, performing arts, music, and literature. It also supports artists in their further development.[128] TheFörderpreis für Literatur der Landeshauptstadt Düsseldorf (Literary Advancement Prize of the State Capital Düsseldorf) is awarded to artists and groups, particularly in the fields of poetry, writing, criticism, and translation.[129] The prize is awarded either for a single artistic achievement or for the overall work of a young artist whose further development deserves support.[130]
TheKunstpreis der Landeshauptstadt Düsseldorf (Art Prize of the State Capital Düsseldorf) is an annual award given to a visual artist whose work is “pioneering for the development of contemporary art.”
Wilhelm Kreis (1873–1955), architect and director of the School of Applied Arts Düsseldorf
Peter Kürten (1883–1931), called "The Vampire of Düsseldorf", committed in Düsseldorf during the period between February and November 1929 series of sexual homicides
Adolf Uzarski (1885–1970 in Düsseldorf), writer, painter and graphic artist
Emil Fahrenkamp (1885–1966), architect and director of Düsseldorf Art Academy 1937–1945
Betty Knox (1906–1963), dancer with variety actWilson, Keppel and Betty and war correspondent. She lived in the city during her later years and died there.[131]
Joseph Beuys (1921–1986), artist and art theorist; professor at the Düsseldorf Art Academy 1961–1972
^abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwLooz-Corswarem, Clemens von."Stadt Düsseldorf".Internetportal Rheinische Geschichte (in German). Landschaftsverband Rheinland. Retrieved11 October 2025.
^Weidenhaupt, Hugo:Kleine Geschichte der Stadt Düsseldorf, Triltsch-Verlag, Düsseldorf 1979;ISBN3-7998-0000-X.(in German)
^Madison, Rodney (2005). "Air Warfare, Strategic Bombing".The Encyclopedia of World War I: A Political, Social and Military History. Vol. 1. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO. pp. 45–46.ISBN1851094202.;Tilford, Earl H. Jr. (1996). "Air Warfare: Strategic Bombing".The European Powers in the First World War: An Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO. pp. 13–15.ISBN0-81533-351-X.
^Birchall, Ian H./Pierre Broué/Brian Pearce,The German Revolution 1917–1923, p. 278.
^Megargee, Geoffrey P. (2009).The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos 1933–1945. Volume I. Indiana University Press, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. pp. 330–336.ISBN978-0-253-35328-3.
^Stanton, Shelby,World War II Order of Battle: An Encyclopedic Reference to U.S. Army Ground Forces from Battalion through Division, 1939–1946 (Revised Edition, 2006), Stackpole Books, p. 174.
^abcdConte-Helm, Marie (2013).The Japanese and Europe: Economic and Cultural Encounters. United Kingdom: Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 92.
^Conte-Helm, Marie (2013).The Japanese and Europe: Economic and Cultural Encounters. United Kingdom: Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 94.
^Düsseldorf, Landeshauptstadt."Statistische Daten".www.duesseldorf.de (in German). Archived fromthe original on 30 October 2023. Retrieved30 October 2023.
^Düsseldorf, Landeshauptstadt."CarSharing".www.duesseldorf.de.Archived from the original on 28 October 2019. Retrieved28 October 2019.
^vom Endt, Rudi (1962).Düsseldorf – So wie es war. Düsseldorf: Droste Verlag. p. 20.ISBN3-7700-0075-7.{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
^The total results from adding 68.2 kilometres, as stated in theRheinbahn 2016 annual report, and an additional 2 kilometres for the extension of line 701.
^Desperately seeking KraftwerkArchived 26 March 2020 at theWayback Machine; "Kraftwerk [was] so far ahead of [its] time that the rest of the world...spent 25 years inventing new musical genres in an attempt to catch up. Another famous Synth-pop band to come from the city wasPropaganda. House, techno, hip-hop, trip-hop, synth-pop, trance, electroclash: Kraftwerk's influence looms over all of them. It's difficult to imagine what rock and pop music would sound like today if Kraftwerk had never existed",The Guardian, 24 July 2003; accessed 8 December 2014.
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