Düsseldorf

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Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf skyline with Rheinturm and Neuer Zollhof, inside Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany's busiest and upscale shopping street Königsallee and Stadttor
Düsseldorf skyline with Rheinturm and Neuer Zollhof, inside Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany's busiest and upscale shopping street Königsallee and Stadttor
Flag of Düsseldorf
Coat of arms of Düsseldorf
Location of Düsseldorf within North Rhine-Westphalia
CountryGermany
StateNorth Rhine-Westphalia
Admin. regionDüsseldorf
DistrictUrban district
Subdivisions10 districts, 49 boroughs
Government
 • Lord mayorDirk Elbers (CDU)
 • Governing partiesCDU / FDP
Area
 • Municipality217 km2 (84 sq mi)
Elevation
38 m (125 ft)
Population
 (2021-12-31)[1]
 • Municipality619,477
 • Density2,900/km2 (7,400/sq mi)
 • Urban
1,220,000
 • Metro
11,300,000 (Rhein-Ruhr)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes
40001-40629
Dialling codes0211
Vehicle registrationD
Websitewww.Duesseldorf.de

Düsseldorf [ˈdʏsl̩dɔɐ̯f] is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region with 11 million people.[3]

Düsseldorf is an international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs.[4][5][6] Located within the Blue Banana, the city is headquarters to five Fortune Global 500 and several DAX companies. Messe Düsseldorf claims to organise nearly one fifth of all world‘s premier trade shows.[7]

Culturally, Düsseldorf is known for its academy of fine arts (Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, e.g. Joseph Beuys, Emanuel Leutze, August Macke, Gerhard Richter, Sigmar Polke and Andreas Gursky), its pioneering influence on electronic/experimental music (Kraftwerk) and its relatively large Japanese community. As a city by the river Rhine, Düsseldorf is a stronghold for Rhenish Carnival celebrations. Every year in July more than 4.5 million people visit the city's Largest Fair on the Rhine funfair.[8]

As the seventh most populous city in Germany by population within city limits and a Larger Urban Zone population of 1.5 million,[9] Mercer's 2012 Quality of Living survey ranked Düsseldorf sixth city in the world.[10][11]

History

When the Roman Empire was strengthening its position throughout Europe, a few Germanic tribes clung in marshy territory off the eastern banks of the Rhine River.[12]

In the 7th and 8th centuries, the odd farming or fishing settlement could be found at the point where the small river Düssel flows into the Rhine. It was from such settlements that the city of Düsseldorf grew.

Düsseldorf in 1647
The state parliament, seen from the top of the Rheinturm.

The first written mention of the town of Düsseldorf (then called Dusseldorp in the local Low Rhenish dialect) dates back to 1135. Under Emperor Friedrich Barbarossa the small town of Kaiserswerth 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 the Counts of Berg. 14 August 1288 is one of the most important dates in the history of Düsseldorf as it was on this day that the sovereign Count Adolf VIII of Berg granted the village on the banks of the Düssel the Town privileges.

Prior to that announcement, a bloody struggle for power had taken place between the Archbishop of Cologne and the count of Berg, culminating in the Battle of Worringen. The Archbishop of Cologne's forces were wiped out by the forces of the count of Berg who were supported by citizens and farmers of Cologne and Düsseldorf, paving the way for Düsseldorf's elevation to city status, which is commemorated today by a monument on the Burgplatz. In fact, the custom of turning cartwheels is credited to the children of Düsseldorf. There are variations of the origin[13] of the cartwheeling children, but the most famous is the story. Today the symbol (Der Radschläger)[13] represents the story and every year the Düsseldorfers celebrate by having a cartwheeling contest.

After this battle the relationship between the four cities 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 Rhineland Karneval) and in sports.

View of Düsseldorf with the church of St. Andrew in the centre, 1667

A market square sprang up on the banks of the Rhine and the square was protected by city walls on all four sides. In 1380, the dukes of Berg moved their seat to the town and Düsseldorf was made regional capital of the Duchy of Berg. During the following centuries several famous landmarks were built, including the Collegiate Church of St. Lambertus. In 1609, the ducal line of the United Duchies of Jülich-Cleves-Berg died out, and after a virulent struggle over succession, Jülich and Berg fell to the Wittelsbach Counts of Palatinate-Neuburg, who made Düsseldorf their main domicile, even after they inherited the Electorate of the Palatinate, in 1685, becoming now Prince-electors as Electors Palatine.

Düsseldorf's growth was even more impressive under the leadership of Johann Wilhelm II (r. 1690–1716) in the 18th century, also known to his people as Jan Wellem. Greatly influenced by his wife Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici, the art lover designed a vast art gallery with a huge selection of paintings and sculptures that were housed in the Stadtschloss (city castle).

After the death of childless Jan Wellem, the flourishing royal capital fell on hard times again, especially after Elector Charles Theodore inherited Bavaria and moved the electoral court to Munich. With him he took the art collection, which became part of what is now the Alte Pinakothek in Munich. Destruction and poverty struck Düsseldorf after the Napoleonic Wars. Napoleon made Berg a Grand Duchy and Düsseldorf its capital. J. C. C. Devaranne, a leader of Solingen's resistance to Napoleon's conscription decrees, was executed here in 1813. After the defeat of Napoleon, the whole Rhineland including Berg was given to the Kingdom of Prussia in 1815. The parliament of the Rhine Province was established in Düsseldorf later.

By the mid-19th century, Düsseldorf enjoyed a revival thanks to the Industrial Revolution as the city boasted 100,000 inhabitants by 1882; the figure doubled in 1892.

In 1920, Düsseldorf became the centre for the General Strike. On 15 April 1920 45 delegates of the German Miners Union were murdered by the Freikorps.[14]

File:Düsseldorf Skyline.jpg
Düsseldorf skyline in 2013

It was a target of strategic bombing during World War II, particularly during the RAF bombing campaign against the Ruhr industry in 1943 when over 700 bombers were used in a single night. Raids continued late into the war. As part of the campaign against German oil facilities, the RAF raid of February 20/21 1945 on the Rhenania Ossag refinery in the Reisholz district of Düsseldorf halted oil production there.

The Allied ground advance into Germany reached Düsseldorf in mid-April 1945. The US 97th Infantry Division easily captured the city 18 April 1945 in the absence of organised German resistance.[15]

In 1946 Düsseldorf was made capital of the new federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The city's reconstruction proceeded at a frantic pace and the economic transformation saw Düsseldorf grow into the wealthy city of trade, administration and service industries that it is today.

Geography

Physical geography

Düsseldorf skyline
Promenade along the Rhine

Düsseldorf lies at the centre of the Lower Rhine basin, where the delta of the River Düssel flows into the Rhine. The city lies on the east side of the Rhine, except District 4 (Oberkassel, Niederkassel, Heerdt and Lörick). Across the Rhine, the city of Neuss stands on the delta of the Erft river. Düsseldorf lies southwest of the Ruhr urban area, and in the middle of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.

Düsseldorf is built entirely on alluvium, 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 in Wittlaer borough where the Schwarzbach enters the Rhine, with an average elevation of 28 metres (92 ft).

Adjacent cities and districts

The following districts and cities border Düsseldorf (clockwise starting from the north): the City of Duisburg, the District of Mettmann (Ratingen, Mettmann, Erkrath, Hilden, Langenfeld, and Monheim), and the District of Neuss (Dormagen, Neuss, and Meerbusch).

Climate

Like the rest of the lower Rhineland, Düsseldorf experiences moderate winters with little snowfall and mild to warm summers. The average annual temperature is 10.6 °C (51 °F) with an average yearly precipitation of 797 millimetres (31 in). The dominant wind direction is from the south or southeast with velocities in the range of 3 to 4 m/s (7–9 mph), with gusts of 3.5 −4.8 m/s (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.[16][17]

Climate data for Düsseldorf
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 5.0
(41.0)
6.2
(43.2)
9.8
(49.6)
13.4
(56.1)
18.7
(65.7)
21.4
(70.5)
23.4
(74.1)
23.5
(74.3)
19.6
(67.3)
15
(59)
9.2
(48.6)
6.4
(43.5)
14.3
(57.7)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 0.1
(32.2)
0.0
(32.0)
2.3
(36.1)
4.2
(39.6)
8.6
(47.5)
11.5
(52.7)
13.4
(56.1)
13.4
(56.1)
10.8
(51.4)
7.6
(45.7)
3.8
(38.8)
1.8
(35.2)
6.5
(43.7)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 81.3
(3.20)
55.9
(2.20)
76.2
(3.00)
68.6
(2.70)
73.7
(2.90)
96.5
(3.80)
88.9
(3.50)
76.2
(3.00)
73.7
(2.90)
71.1
(2.80)
83.8
(3.30)
88.9
(3.50)
934.8
(36.8)
Mean monthly sunshine hours 40.5 73.9 103.8 157.4 193.1 188.2 194.3 188.2 136.5 107.5 53.2 36.8 1,473.4
Source 1: wetterkontor.de[18]
Source 2: Data derived from Deutscher Wetterdienst[19]

Demographics

Ten largest groups of foreign residents[20]
Country of Origin Population (2008)
 Turkey 14,721
 Greece 10,106
 Italy 6,723
 Poland 6,560
 Serbia (incl. Montenegro) 5,919
 Japan 5,908
 Morocco 4,907
 Russian Federation 3,573
 Republic of Macedonia 3,503
 Croatia 3,376

With a population of 593,682 within city-limits (31. December 2012),[21] Düsseldorf is Germany's seventh largest city. Düsseldorf's population number surpassed the threshold of 100,000 inhabitants during the height of industrialisation in 1882, and (to-date) peaked with just over 705,000 in 1962. Since then, the city lost residents mainly moving into neighbouring municipalities, but since the late 1990s, the city's population is again slowly rising.

A total of 109,883[20] of Düsseldorf's population are foreigners (31 December 2008), the majority of whom come from within Europe (81,742). The largest national minorities are Turks, Greeks, and Italians. Düsseldorf and its surroundings have the third-largest Japanese community in Europe and the largest in Germany (about 11,000 people).[22][23] Düsseldorf has the third-largest Jewish community in Germany, with about 7,600 members: more than 1% of the city's population.

Government

Mayors

Districts

Since 1975, Düsseldorf is divided into ten administrative districts. Each district (Bezirk) has its own elected district council (Bezirksvertretung) and its own district mayor (Bezirksvorsteher). The district councils are advisory only. Each district is further subdivided into boroughs. There are 50 boroughs in Düsseldorf.[24]

District 1 (Stadtbezirk 1)
Altstadt, Carlstadt, Derendorf, Golzheim, Pempelfort, Stadtmitte
District 2 (Stadtbezirk 2)
Düsseltal, Flingern-Nord, Flingern-Süd
District 3 (Stadtbezirk 3)
Bilk, Flehe, Friedrichstadt, Hafen, Hamm, Oberbilk, Unterbilk, Volmerswerth
District 4 (Stadtbezirk 4)
Heerdt, Lörick, Niederkassel, Oberkassel
District 5 (Stadtbezirk 5)
Angermund, Kaiserswerth, Kalkum, Lohausen, Stockum, Wittlaer
District 6 (Stadtbezirk 6)
Lichtenbroich, Mörsenbroich, Rath, Unterrath
District 7 (Stadtbezirk 7)
Gerresheim, Grafenberg, Hubbelrath, Ludenberg, Knittkuhl
District 8 (Stadtbezirk 8)
Eller, Lierenfeld, Unterbach, Vennhausen
District 9 (Stadtbezirk 9)
Benrath, Hassels, Himmelgeist, Holthausen, Itter, Reisholz, Urdenbach, Wersten
District 10 (Stadtbezirk 10)
Garath, Hellerhof

Economy

Rheinturm and Gehry-buildings Der Neue Zollhof in Hafen
Königsallee in Stadtmitte

Düsseldorf has become one of the top telecommunications centres in Germany. With two of the four big German providers of mobile frequencies, D2 Vodafone and E-Plus, Düsseldorf leads the German mobile phone market. There are also many foreign trading centres in Düsseldorf such as NTT, Ericsson, Sandvik, Nokia and GTS.[citation needed]. There are 18 internet service providers located in the capital of North-Rhine Westphalia.

Eurowings and formerly independent LTU International, are two airlines, with headquarters in the city.[25]

Many of the internet companies in Düsseldorf have their roots in the world of advertising: there are 400 advertising agencies in Düsseldorf, among them three of the largest in Germany: BBDO Group, Publicis Group and Grey Group. A number of affiliates of foreign agencies deserve mention as well, such as Ogilvy & Mather, Dentsu, Hakuhodo, Digital District and DDB.[citation needed] There are also about 200 publishing houses in Düsseldorf.[citation needed]

In Düsseldorf there are about 170 national and international financial institutions, and about 130 insurance agencies, and one of the biggest German stock exchanges. Several other major companies have their headquarters in the city: Peek & Cloppenburg (fashion), L'Oréal Germany (Cosmetics and Beauty); Henkel AG & Co. KGaA (Branded Consumer Goods and Industrial technologies); E.ON (energy); ThyssenKrupp (metallurgy); Metro (wholesale, retail); Ergo (insurance); LTU (air transport), Esprit Holdings (fashion, headquarters in Ratingen near Düsseldorf), Cognis (chemicals, headquarter in Monheim near Düsseldorf, but production mainly in Düsseldorf).[citation needed]

Daimler AG builds the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Volkswagen Crafter light commercial vehicles in Düsseldorf. Since the 1960s, there has been a strong relationship between the city and Japan. Many Japanese banks and corporations have their European headquarters in Düsseldorf – so many that Düsseldorf has the third largest Japanese community in Europe, after London and Paris.[22][23]

The "Kö", which stands for Königsallee ("King's Avenue"), is a popular shopping destination. Some of the most reputed jewellery shops, designer labels, and galleries have their stores here. The Kö has among the highest rents for retail and office space in Germany.[26] Messe Düsseldorf organises several international congresses and trade fairs throughout the year, most notably boot Düsseldorf Boat Show, drupa Printing & Media and cpd Fashion Show.

Media

Important newspapers and journals such as Handelsblatt, Rheinische Post, Wirtschaftswoche, Deutsches Wirtschaftsblatt and VDI-Nachrichten are published in Düsseldorf. Almost all of these papers are available online on the Internet. Renowned filmmaking companies, such as Germany's biggest cinema enterprise, the Riech-Group, and TV channels such as WDR, ZDF, and QVC are also located in Düsseldorf. The foundation Film- und Medienstiftung NRW is supporting the production of film and new media.

Transport

Düsseldorf Straßenbahn and Düsseldorf Stadtbahn network, part of the Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr.
Düsseldorf International Airport
Oberbilker Markt/Warschauer Straße station of Düsseldorf subway/lightrail

Düsseldorf International Airport, also referred to as Rhein-Ruhr Airport, is located eight kilometres (5.0 miles) from the city centre and can easily be reached by train or the S-Bahn urban railway. There is a long-distance train station served by regional and national services, which is linked to the airport by the SkyTrain, an automatic people mover. Another station situated under the terminal building carries the S-Bahn line (S11) to Düsseldorf Central Station, and to Cologne as well as a few selected night services.

After Frankfurt and Munich, Düsseldorf International is Germany's third largest commercial airport, with 18.6 million passengers annually. The airport offers 180 destinations on 4 continents, and is served by 70 airlines. The airport buildings were partly destroyed by a devastating fire caused by welding works in 1996, killing 17 people. It was completely rebuilt and the Skytrain installed.

The city is a major hub in the Deutsche Bahn (DB) railway network. More than 1,000 trains stop in Düsseldorf daily. Düsseldorf Central Station at Konrad-Adenauer-Platz is located in Düsseldorf-Stadtmitte. Several Rhein-Ruhr S-Bahn lines connect Düsseldorf to other cities of Rhine-Ruhr. Local Düsseldorf Straßenbahn and light rail Düsseldorf Stadtbahn traffic, as well as local bus traffic, is carried out by the city-owned Rheinbahn which operates within the VRR public transport system. The light rail system also serves neighbouring cities and is partially operated underground.

The Central Station and the Airport Station (Flughafen-Bahnhof) are connected to the national and European high-speed systems (Intercity/Eurocity, IC/EC and InterCityExpress).

North Rhine-Westphalia has the densest network of autobahns in Germany and Düsseldorf is directly accessible via the A3, A44, A46, A52, A57, A59 and A524.

Culture and recreation

Art-loving Elector Jan Wellem and his wife Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici of Tuscany, were the patrons of Düsseldorf's first significant cultural activities in the 17th and 18th centuries. Heinrich Heine, whose 200th birthday was celebrated in 1997, Clara and Robert Schumann as well as Felix Mendelssohn are the most prominent artists related to the city. Artistic impulses were often born in the Academy of Fine Arts and the names of Paul Klee, Joseph Beuys, Gerhard Richter as well as Albert Bierstadt are associated with the institution (Düsseldorf School). The Düsseldorf cultural scene comprises traditional and avant-garde, classical and glamorous. The world famous state art collection of North Rhine-Westphalia, the highly acclaimed Deutsche Oper am Rhein (opera), and the Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus (theatre), artistic home of Gustaf Gründgens, are major elements of Düsseldorf's reputation as a centre of the fine arts.

Beer

Düsseldorf is well known for its Altbier,[27] a hoppy beer which translates as old [style] beer, a reference to the pre-lager brewing method of using a warm top-fermenting yeast like British pale ales.[28] 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 new pale lager that was gaining a hold on Germany.[29] 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.[30] 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.[31] The result is a pale beer that has some of the lean dryness of a lager but with fruity notes as well.[32]

At present, there are five brewpubs in Düsseldorf which brew Altbier on premises: Füchschen, Schumacher, Schlüssel, Uerige and the newly opened Brauerei Kürzer. Four of the five are located in the historic centre of Düsseldorf (Altstadt); the other (Schumacher) is located between the Altstadt and the main rail station (Hauptbahnhof), and also maintains an establishment in the Altstadt, Goldener Kessel, directly across the street from 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.[33] Füchschen's seasonal is its Weihnachtsbier (Christmas beer), available in bottles starting mid-November, and served in the brewpub on Christmas Eve.[34]

Music and nightlife

Sensation White 2008 Silvester party, Esprit Arena

Since the 1950s the "Kom(m)ödchen" has been one of the most prominent political cabarets of Germany. Düsseldorf's most famous contribution to the culture of modern popular music is beyond doubt the avant-garde electronic music band Kraftwerk. Formed by a few Düsseldorf-born musicians, Kraftwerk are internationally known as the most significant band in the history of post-war German music and as pioneers in electronic music.[35] Internationally known power metal band Warlock was formed in Düsseldorf in 1982. Their frontwoman, Doro Pesch, has had a successful solo career in Europe and Asia since Warlock ended. The punk band Die Toten Hosen, which is famous around the world, also the most popular singers[citation needed] in Germany Westernhagen and Heino come from Düsseldorf. The electronic act D.A.F. was formed in the city in 1978, as well as the electronic/industrial pioneers Die Krupps in 1980. The experimental post-punk group La Düsseldorf was named after the city, for which it paid with a legal case in the early 1980s. In the Oldtown (Altstadt) German and international tourists go out on the main street Bolkerstraße, while the local scene (students and creative people) prefers[citation needed] the bars on Ratinger Straße and Kurze Straße. In May 2011, Germany hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 2011. Also, famous rock guitarist, Uli Jon Roth was born and still lives in the city.

Carnival

File:Stamp Germany 2000 MiNr2099 Karneval.jpg
175th anniversary of Düsseldorf Karneval, Stamp, Deutsche Post AG, 2000

One of the biggest cultural events in Düsseldorf is the Karneval (also referred to as the "fifth season") which starts every year on 11 November at 11:11 a.m., and reaches its climax on Rosenmontag (Rose Monday), featuring a huge parade through the streets of Düsseldorf. Karneval ends on Aschermittwoch (Ash Wednesday).

Cartwheeler of Düsseldorf

The Düsseldorfer Radschläger (Boy who does cartwheels) is said to be the oldest tradition of the city of Düsseldorf and became one of its main landmarks. The symbol of the cartwheeler can be found on many souvenirs and various things in Düsseldorf have the cartwheelers to thank for their names. This tradition was honoured in 1954 by the erection of a fountain, called Cartwheeler's Fountain, on the Burgplatz in Düsseldorf.

Legends of its origin and history

The tradition cannot be linked to one specific historical event, instead, there are several stories surrounding the beginnings of the Düsseldorf Cartwheelers.

Probably the most well known version is Battle of Worringen. In the battle of 1288 Count Adolf devastatingly defeated the Archbishop of Cologne. As a consequence of this victory, Düsseldorf obtained Town privileges. The inhabitants, especially the children ran joyfully on the streets and performed Cartwheels.

Another story talks about a wedding procession during which one of the wheels of the wedding carriage broke. In order to fend off the threat of bad luck, a boy supposedly jumped to the carriage, took hold of the wheel and thus became a living part of the wheel. Whether the story is about the marriage of Jan Wellem and Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici or the wedding of Margravine Jakobea of Baden and Johann Wilhelm is debatable.

Another story gives an account of this wedding between Margrave Jacobe von Baden and Johann Wilhelm, in 1585. According to legend she felt miserable about her marriage, but the cartwheelers who displayed their skills next to her carriage were able to make her smile.

Numerous travelers were attracted to the city by great exhibitions- the forerunner of today’s fairs between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century.

During this time the children who did the cart wheeling found out that it was a profitable source of income. The bourgeoisie accepted this in good humor as a symbolic act of local patriotism.

In the beginning the lads shouted "för eene Penning schlage ich das Rad“ (cartwheel for a penny). Today they certainly ask for a higher fee. The Jan Wellem monument was brought back to Düsseldorf in 1945, at the end of the Second World War. The procession was accompanied by torches, fanfares and the cartwheeling boys.

Cartwheelers in the cityscape

Cartwheelers can be found by several fountains within the city. The most famous is Cartwheeler’s Fountain in Burgplatz with an inscription of a quote by Hans Müller-Schlösser: "Radschläger wolle mer blieve, wie jeck et de Minschen och drieve“ (No matter what happens, we will always be cartwheelers.) The fountain was designed by Alfred Zschorsch in 1954 and donated by the Heimatverein Düsseldorfer Jonges, which is a club devoted to the maintenance of local and regional traditions. There are other cartwheelers that decorate storm drains and the door knocker on the Church of Lambertus, which was designed by Friedrich Becker. He also created the cartwheeler in front of the Schadow Arcades.

This tradition has been kept alive by the Alde Düsseldorfer Bürgergesellschaft von 1920 e. V., a society founded in 1920, who organized the first cartwheeler competition on 17 October 1937. Since 1971 this event has been held annually in cooperation with the Stadtsparkasse (a local bank) but formerly took place in the Königsallee. Since 2006 it has taken place on the Rheinwerft, near the old part of town. This is a fixed date in the city’s calendar of events. About 500 boys regularly participate in this event and since 1971 girls have also taken part.

In 2001 the art project Radschläger-Kunst (Cartwheeler Art) was called into life, in which over 100 cartwheeler sculptures have been designed by various artists. The door knocker on the Church of Lambertus functioned as a model for the sculptures that are 2 metres (6 feet 7 inches) high, 2 metres (6 feet 7 inches) wide and 30 cm (12 in) deep. They were positioned around the city center. Some of the sculptures have been auctioned off to companies and private owners.

Cuisine

Traditional meals in the region are Rheinischer Sauerbraten (a beef roast and sometimes horse marinated for a few days in vinegar and spices served with gravy and raisins ) and Heaven and Earth (Himmel und Äd) (black pudding with stewed apples mixed with mashed potatoes). In winter the people like to eat Muscheln Rheinischer Art (Rhenish-style mussels) as well as Reibekuchen (fried potato pancake served with apple sauce). Also a special meal: Düsseldorfer Senfrostbraten (Steaks roasted with Düsseldorf mustard on top).

Düsseldorf is known for its strong Dijon-like mustard served in a traditional pot called "Mostertpöttche", which was eternalised in a still life by Vincent van Gogh in 1884.[36]

Rivalry with Cologne

Düsseldorf and Cologne have a "fierce regional rivalry".[37] The rivalry includes carnival parades, football, and beer.[37] People in Cologne prefer Kölsch while people in Düsseldorf prefer Alt.[37] Waiters and patrons will "scorn" and make a "mockery" of people who order Alt beer in Cologne and Kölsch in Düsseldorf.[37] The rivalry has been described as a "love-hate relationship".[37]

Theatres

Düsseldorf Schauspielhaus
Düsseldorf Tonhalle
  • Apollo (varieté, circus; shows do not require knowledge of German language)
  • Capitol (musicals)
  • Deutsche Oper am Rhein (Opera; Ballet)
  • Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus; the theatre started with theatrical performances in 1585
  • Düsseldorfer Marionetten-Theater
  • ESPRIT Arena (Venue of the Eurovision Song Contest 2011)
  • FFT – Forum Freies Theater (intimate theatre)
  • Klangraum (20th-century classical music)
  • Kom(m)ödchen (Political cabaret)
  • Komödie Düsseldorf
  • Palais Wittgenstein
  • Puppentheater an der Helmholtzstraße (puppetry)
  • Robert-Schumann-Saal
  • Tanzhaus NRW (theatre for dance)
  • Tonhalle Düsseldorf (concert hall for classical music, jazz, pop, cabaret)
  • Theater an der Kö
  • Theater an der Luegallee
  • Theateratelier Takelgarn
  • Theater Flin
  • Theater Glorreich
  • Savoy-Theater
  • The Callum Wait Theater of Bongo Drums and Cereal
  • The King Seth The First Arena of 99 LuftBallons
  • "Lovers of Weiners in Dusseldorf" Arena

Museums, arts and history institutes, and other attractions

Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen – K20 (Grabbeplatz)
Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen – K21 (Ständehaus)
Dusseldorf_AquaZoo_Entrance
Düsseldorf-TV Tower2

Parks and gardens

Sports

The ISS-Dome, an ice hockey stadium opened in 2006
The Esprit Arena (former LTU)

Düsseldorf's football team Fortuna Düsseldorf won the 1933 German championship, the German Cup in 1979 and 1980, and were finalists in the European Cup Winners Cup in 1979. After 15 years in lower leagues they were promoted following a play-off win over Hertha Berlin in 2012. Their new stadium, the Esprit arena, opened in January 2005 and has a capacity of 54,500. Düsseldorf was one of nine host cities for the 1974 FIFA World Cup, and the Rochusclub Düsseldorf has hosted the tennis World Team Cup from 1978 till 2012.

Other sports in Düsseldorf are ice hockey (the Düsseldorfer EG which play in the new ISS-Dome) and American football. The Düsseldorf Panther are one of the most successful teams in Germany with six German Bowl titles and the Eurobowl victory in 1995. In addition the Junior-Team is the most successful youth department in Germany with fifteen Junior Bowl victorys. Rhine Fire Düsseldorf was an established team of the NFL Europe and won the World Bowl two times in 1998 and 2000. Düsseldorf has a successful rugby union team (Düsseldorf Dragons), who play in the regional NRW league and consistently finish with a top-three position. Table tennis is also played (Borussia Düsseldorf – the most successful team in Germany with Timo Boll), as are handball (HSG Düsseldorf), basketball (Düsseldorf Giants), baseball (Düsseldorf Senators) and dancing (Rot-Weiß Düsseldorf). Düsseldorf also has a Cricket team, the Düsseldorf Blackcaps, who play in the regional NRW league.[51]

Education

Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf is located in the southern part of the city. It has about 20,000 students and a wide range of subjects in natural sciences, mathematics, computer sciences, philosophy, social sciences, arts, languages, medicine, pharmacy, economy and the law.

Other academic institutions include

Notable buildings

The Neuer Zollhof at Medienhafen
  • Rheinturm (TV tower) the city's landmark (1982: 234 m/768 ft, since 2004: 240.50 m/789.0 ft), the lights on which comprise the world's largest digital clock.
  • The Gehry buildings in the Düsseldorf media harbour (see picture above).
  • The Colorium, an 18 storey tower designed by Alsop and Partners, also in the Düsseldorf media harbour.
  • The Benrather Schloss (Benrath palace).
  • The Grupello-Haus probably designed by the Italian architect Matteo Alberti in 1706 for Duke Johann Wilhelm.
  • The Wilhem Marx House of 1922/24: at twelve storeys high, it was Germany's first high-rise building.
  • The Stahlhof of 1906, the administrative centre of Germany's steel economy until 1945.
  • The Stummhaus of 1925, another early German high-rise building.
  • Gerresheim Basilica.[57]
  • St. Suitbertus Basilica.[58]
  • DRV Tower, 120 m (394 ft)-high tower constructed in 1978.
  • GAP 15, an 85 m (279 ft)-high building constructed in 2005 near Königsallee.
  • ARAG-Tower, at 131 m (430 ft) in height, it is Düsseldorf's highest office building; designed by Sir Norman Foster.
  • Eight bridges span the River Rhine at Düsseldorf; they, too, are city landmarks.
  • Eastern pylon of Reisholz Rhine Powerline Crossing, an electricity pylon under whose legs runs a rail

Notable places

Twin towns – sister cities

Düsseldorf is twinned with:[59]

In addition, Düsseldorf has friendship relations with:

See also

References

  1. ^ "Bevölkerung der Gemeinden Nordrhein-Westfalens am 31. Dezember 2021" (in German). Landesbetrieb Information und Technik NRW. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  2. ^ IT.NRW. "Bevölkerung im Regierungsbezirk Düsseldorf" (in German). Retrieved 2009-06-30.
  3. ^ http://www.deutsche-metropolregionen.org/fileadmin/ikm/IKM-Veroeffentlichungen/IKM-Monitoring2008_lite.pdf
  4. ^ "Communla Administration of Düsseldorf, 28 of July 2008" (PDF). Retrieved 2010-04-16.
  5. ^ "Immobilien Zeitung: ''Mehr Räume für die große Modenschau'' vom 28. August 2008, 1st of March 2009" (PDF). Retrieved 2010-04-16.
  6. ^ "'Cushman & Wakefield — European Cities Monitor'" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-06-04.
  7. ^ "'Messe Düsseldorf Annual Report'" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-06-04.
  8. ^ 2010 survey by Jones Lang LaSalle Template:De icon
  9. ^ 1,525,029 inhabitants for the Düsseldorf Larger Urban Zone
  10. ^ "Mercer's 2011 Quality of Living survey highlights — Global". Mercer. 2011-06-15. Retrieved 2011-06-15.
  11. ^ Woolsey, Matt (2009-04-28). "World's 20 Best Places To Live". Forbes.com.
  12. ^ Weidenhaupt, Hugo: Kleine Geschichte der Stadt Düsseldorf, Triltsch-Verlag, Düsseldorf 1979, ISBN 3-7998-0000-X, (only in German)
  13. ^ a b Düsseldorfer Radschläger
  14. ^ The German Revolution 1917–1923, by Pierre Broué, Ian H. Birchall, Brian Pearce, p278
  15. ^ 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.
  16. ^ Template:Wayback
  17. ^ Klimaatlas – NRW (1989): Der Minister für Umwelt, Raumordnung und Landwirtschaft des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalens, Düsseldorf.
  18. ^ "Weather Information for Düsseldorf".
  19. ^ "Ausgabe der Klimadaten: Monatswerte".
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  21. ^ "Fortschreibung des Bevölkerungsstandes auf Basis des Zensus vom 09.05.2011". Information und Technik Nordrhein-Westfalen. 2012-12-31. Retrieved 2013-08-12.
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  25. ^ Template:Wayback LTU International. Retrieved on 21 June 2009.
  26. ^ "Modemetropole Mit Internationalem Chic" (PDF). Web.archive.org. Retrieved 2012-09-04.
  27. ^ studio orange. "Altbier". Brauer-bund.de. Archived from the original on 2007-04-29. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
  28. ^ "Michael Jackson's Beer Hunter – Copper-bottom ales halt lager tide in Germany". Beerhunter.com. Retrieved 2009-07-08.
  29. ^ "Altbier". Germanbeerinstitute.com. Retrieved 2009-07-08.
  30. ^ "Düsseldorf Breweries". Europeanbeerguide.net. Retrieved 2009-07-08.
  31. ^ Prost! The Story of German Beer, Horst D. Dornbusch, Brewers Publications, 1997, pp 109–110. ISBN 0-937381-55-1
  32. ^ "Düsseldorf Pub Guide: the best beer bars, pubs and brewpubs". Europeanbeerguide.net. Retrieved 2009-07-08.
  33. ^ Horst Dornbusch, Altbier. Boulder, CO: Brewers Publications
  34. ^ Template:Wayback, visited 2007.04.26
  35. ^ The Guardian, 2003-07-24, accessed 2010-10-31, Desperately seeking Kraftwerk, "Kraftwerk were so far ahead of their time that the rest of the world has spent 25 years inventing new musical genres in an attempt to catch up. Another famous Synth-pop band to come from the city was Propaganda. House, techno, hip-hop, trip-hop, synthpop, 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"
  36. ^ "Düsseldorf Altstadt: Van Gogh, Stilleben mit ABB-Senf". Duesseldorf-altstadt.blogspot.com. 2007-01-25. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
  37. ^ a b c d e "Giving beer a home in the Rhineland". The Local. 28 July 2011. Retrieved 28 July 2011.
  38. ^ File:Dusseldorf AquaZoo Entrance.jpg - Wikimedia Commons
  39. ^ File:Dusseldorf-Tv Tower2.JPG - Wikimedia Commons
  40. ^ "Filmmuseum". Duesseldorf.de. Retrieved 2012-09-04.
  41. ^ Filmstiftung NRW[dead link]
  42. ^ "iks-medienarchiv.de". iks-medienarchiv.de. Retrieved 2012-09-04.
  43. ^ Julia Stoschek Collection
  44. ^ "KAI 10 | Raum für Kunst". Kaistrasse10.de. Retrieved 2012-09-04.
  45. ^ "Kulturbahnhof Eller". Kultur-bahnhof-eller.de. Retrieved 2012-09-04.
  46. ^ "KIT". Kunst-im-tunnel.de. Retrieved 2012-09-04.
  47. ^ Mahn- und Gedenkstätte für die Opfer des Nationalsozialmus[dead link]
  48. ^ "onomato künstlerverein". Onomato-verein.de. Retrieved 2012-09-04.
  49. ^ "Polnisches Institut Düsseldorf". Polnisches-institut.de. Retrieved 2012-09-04.
  50. ^ "zakk". Zakk.de. Retrieved 2012-09-04.
  51. ^ "Official Homepage". Düsseldorf Blackcaps. Retrieved 2013-10-23.
  52. ^ "Official Homepage". Kunstakademie-duesseldorf.de. Retrieved 2012-09-04.
  53. ^ "Fachhochschule Düsseldorf - Home". Fh-duesseldorf.de. Retrieved 2012-09-04.
  54. ^ "AMD Akademie Mode und Design". Amdnet.de. Retrieved 2012-09-04.
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  57. ^ "Gerresheim Basilica". Retrieved 2011-06-01.
  58. ^ "St. Suitbertus Basilica". Retrieved 2011-06-01.
  59. ^ a b c d e f g "Twin Towns". www.amazingdusseldorf.com. Retrieved 2009-10-29.
  60. ^ "Twin City activities". Haifa Municipality. Archived from the original on 2007-10-09. Retrieved 2008-02-14.
  61. ^ "Reading - Town Twinning". Reading Borough Council. Retrieved 2013-07-14.

External links

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