Düsseldorf City

Düsseldorf is the capital of Germany’s most populous federal state, North Rhine Westphalia. The river Rhine has long linked the city across borders, supporting trade and cultural exchange and shaping the open-minded character of the Rhineland. 

From Düsseldorf, it is an hour by car to the Dutch border and three hours to the North Sea. A dense highway network and frequent trans-European trains connect the city, which has 658,245 inhabitants and plays an important economic, academic, and cultural role within the European Union. Düsseldorf is an internationally recognized banking centre and home to Europe’s largest Japanese expatriate community. Its Harbour Media Centre hosts many communication and IT companies, while electronics firms, start-ups, and the city’s fashion industry also contribute to its dynamic economy.

In summer, the elegant Königsallee becomes a lively outdoor café. Promenades and beer gardens along the Rhine invite visitors to stroll, enjoy river views, and admire Art Nouveau buildings. Extensive parks host sports and the annual “Biggest Fun Fair” on the Rhine. The preserved Old Town, full of narrow alleys, restaurants, and pubs, forms one of the city’s largest pedestrian zones. 

Düsseldorf’s cultural life flourished from the early 17th century under Johann Wilhelm of the Palatinate (Jan Wellem). Today it offers a rich arts scene with the “German Opera,” an internationally renowned theatre, cabaret, studio stages, galleries, and a distinguished concert hall. Modern art is well represented in the State Art Collection, and the Academy of Fine Arts is among Germany’s top art schools. 

Alongside the Heinrich Heine University and the Academy of Fine Arts, the city hosts numerous research institutes and educational institutions, including the Robert Schumann Conservatory, the University of Applied Sciences, and the Academy of Business Administration.