Düsseldorf: Between Luxury and Tradition

Düsseldorf: Between Luxury and Tradition

Düsseldorf , the capital of North Rhine Westphalia, is one of the five most important economic locations in Germany. It is an international hub due to its airport; it is also a university and a trade fair city; a banking and stock market place, as well as a fashion and shopping city. This tour will introduce you to the most beautiful sites in this Rhine-River City. We guide you through one of the most luxurious shopping districts in Europe, the globally recognized party-mile of the Old Town and shores of the River Rhine where you can take a stroll on one of the most beautiful promenades that Germany has to offer.In addition, you will learn interesting facts about the famous sons of the city and its cultural traditions, which have been maintained in the Rhine region for centuries. The starting point for the tour is within walking distance of the main train station across the Stresemannplatz and the Graf-Adolf-Straße (approx. 1 km), or you can take tram 704 or 709, alighting at the Graf-Adolf-Platz stop. Photo Breuninger Köbogen Düsseldorf by Solches is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 _______Podcast based on audio guide Düsseldorf: Between Luxury and Tradition Author: Tours around the world In the podcast format you may enjoy stories remotely; if you go out and experience the audio tour on location it is adviced to use the izi.TRAVEL application that really guides you and plays stories automaticly based on your position

Episodes

December 27, 2020 36 secs
The all-round view of the harbour is especially beautiful here. Special emphasis was placed on preserving the original harbour atmosphere during the restoration. The quay walls, cast iron bollards, wrought iron bannisters and cranes with corresponding rails are monument protected. Our short tour ends here. We’ll leave it up to you where your path leads you and from which angle you would like to observe the atmosphere of the “Medien...
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Passing the studios of the “Westdeutschen Rundfunk” (WDR) (radio station) we will reach the “Neuen Zollhof” (new customs yard).The group of three high-rises created by Canadian-American designer and architect Frank Gehry is as controversial as the rest of the architecture at the “Medienhafen” (median harbour). The project’s official name is “Neuen Zollhof” (new customs yard), but the natives leisurely call it the “Gehry-structures”...
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December 27, 2020 51 secs
Up to the end of the 1980’s, the Düsseldorf harbour was an insignificant industrial area. A special urban development concept centering on the users’ requirements transformed the area in today’s “Medienhafen” (median harbour). An interesting combination of architecture ranging from landmark, protected old warehouses, modern functional buildings and the futuristic Gehry-structures emerged. At this time, more than 700 businesses were...
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December 27, 2020 45 secs
We have now reached the “Medienhafen” (median harbour). The most impressive feature is the 240.5 meter high Rhine-River Tower. It features a viewing platform at 164 meters and, located directly above it, is a panorama café and revolving restaurant , which turns on its own axis once every hour. The decimal clock integrated into the tower’s lighting system is a globally unique feature. With the aid of the white glowing bulls-eye, one...
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The building to the left in front of you is the headquarters of the North-Rhine-Westphalia Regional Parliament. The “Neue Landtag” (new state parliament) was ceremoniously initiated in 1988. It is one of the few parliament buildings that have been built especially for this purpose. Its architecture is designed to signal openness and transparency. Six half-round partial structures are grouped around the circular assembly hall. Numer...
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December 27, 2020 1 min
After a few metres, at the intersection Flingerstraße/Bergerstraße you reach the primary building of the house brewery “Uerige“, one of the most popular meeting spots in the city. One prefers to sit or stand outside and enjoy “Altbier”. The server is called “Köbes“. He wears a traditional blue apron and some think that he is not very friendly. Because he is paid based on profits, he doesn’t consider himself a server, but rather a b...
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December 27, 2020 52 secs
The Rhine-River-Shore Promenade is a special attraction for natives as well as tourists. Celebrations and events take place here almost every weekend. The most familiar are the Jazz-Rally, the Japantag (Japan Day) or the Frankreich-Fest (France Fest). From 2002 to 2011, World-Cup cross-country skiing competitions, which were usually attended by more than 200,000 visitors, were held here every year.If the weather is fine, people mee...
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December 27, 2020 56 secs
The “Burgplatz” (castle yard) was the official meeting place in front of the castle that was built in the end of the 13th century. It retained its name even after the castle was completely rebuilt and became a Royal Palace at the beginning of the 16th century. In 1872, the palace was destroyed by fire. It was then demolished. The Palace Tower in front of you, which was also destroyed during the Second World War, but was restored on...
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December 27, 2020 49 secs
The current “Rathaus” consists of five building segments. Throughout the course of centuries, it was expanded and restructured based on the current requirements. The original “Old Rathaus” is located on the right side. It was built between 1570 and 1573 and renovated by the Baroque-master builder, Johann Joseph Couven, in the mid-18th century. The Rococo-style portal with an upstairs balcony located next to the stair-tower originat...
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December 27, 2020 1 min
The horseman’s monument of Elector Johann Wilhelm II, lovingly nicknamed Jan-Wellem in the Rhenian dialect, dominates the market place. Born in Düsseldorf in 1658, he later resided at the former Palace of Düsseldorf. He was a huge advocate of culture and arts and contributed to the international recognition of his hometown.He founded the renowned Düsseldorf Art Gallery featuring the works of Rubens, Tizian and Rembrandt, and built ...
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December 27, 2020 1 min
Heine was a renowned German journalist, writer and poet, who was born in the now obsolete house at the back of Bolkerstraße 53 in 1797. He often astounded his readers with his original Rhenian mentality and open demeanour. He was considered “the last romantic poet” and some say that he made everyday language suitable for lyrics. In his book “Ideen. Das Buch Le Grand” (Ideas. The Book Le Grande), he described his native city as foll...
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December 27, 2020 1 min
Düsseldorf is internationally known as a carnival hot spot, but the celebrations are not limited to the “crazy” times; they last throughout the year. Almost 300 gastronomical businesses are located in an area of only half a square kilometre. One bar is connected to the next, which has earned Old Town the reputation for being the “longest bar in the world”. The restaurant selection is international, although the local breweries enjo...
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December 27, 2020 42 secs
The exclusive boulevard has continued to develop over the decades. The latest addition is the Kö-Arch; the first construction segment was completed at the end of 2013. Three additional segments follow by 2015, with the goal of directing all downtown traffic underground and creating a pedestrian zone to access the adjacent Hofgarten (courtyard) above ground.The textile mogul “Breuninger” opened its first branch in Düsseldorf in the ...
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December 27, 2020 38 secs
The “Sevens Centre” opened in the year 2000 and presents a whole different look. The name reflects its seven stories. The original plan was to feature a different industry on each floor, but now it is primarily monopolised by the “Saturn” electronics group, which presents their merchandise on 5 floors.The unique positioning of the escalators connecting the floors is quite impressive and the open concept enables a view of the entire...
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December 27, 2020 52 secs
Whether you decide to take a stroll past the store windows or the busy hustle and bustle on the opposite side, you should not miss the opportunity to browse one or the other department store.For example, the Kö-Gallery. At its grand opening in 1986, the concept and architecture set global benchmarks. Based on the Italian model, the facades feature marble and sculptured sandstone, decorated with gold-colored metals, and four shoppin...
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December 27, 2020 1 min
Almost all global labels in the fashion, shoe and jewellery industry have their own stores here or are featured in the high-end department stores or boutiques. The lease rates befit the social standards, ranging from approximately 230 Euros per square metre. More specifically, a small store-front of about 100 square metres with a 6 metre front window costs about 23,000 Euros per month.You’ll encounter a few stylish cafés and restau...
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December 27, 2020 1 min
Welcome to one of the most famous luxury shopping districts in Europe. As the Swiss author, Andrei Kaminski, commented: “The world-famous Königsallee, called "Kö" for short by the natives, which is an ironic abbreviation of the Ruhr metropolis’ Fifth Avenue, is the pulsating main artery. The largest and dirtiest business transactions are carried out here. “Kö” is a dual-headed Janus; the banks are located on one side and the design...
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