DISCOVER DUSSELDORF, Germany

Dusseldorf is the capital city of the German Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and one of the economic centres of Western Germany. Dusseldorf is located on the River Rhine and in the densely populated Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan area, with more than 10 million inhabitants.

The city is famous for its carnival and events, also for fashion and trade fairs, like the Boot Messe (worldwide leading in boats and watersports) and Igedo (worldwide leading in fashion). Every year more than 4 Million people visit the Rhine folk festival during 9 days in summer.

Dusseldorf is not only widely known as a center of the German advertising and fashion industries: in the last few years the city on the Rhine has become one of the top telecommunications centers in Germany. There are 18 internet providers located in the capital of North-Rhine Westphalia. With two of the four big German providers of mobile frequencies, D2 Vodafone and E-Plus, Dusseldorf leads the German mobile phone market. There are also many foreign trading centers in Dusseldorf such as NTT, Ericsson, Nokia and GTS.

CULTURE AND RECREATION

Art-loving Elector Jan Wellem and his wife Anna Maria Luisa de' Medici of Tuscany, were the patrons of Dusseldorf'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 (Dusseldorf School).

The Dusseldorf 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 Dusseldorfer Schauspielhaus (theatre), artistic home of Gustaf Grundgens, are major elements of Dusseldorf's reputation as a center of the fine arts.

MUSIC IN DUSSELDORF

Since the 1950s the "Kom(m)odchen" has been one of the most prominent political cabarets of Germany. Dusseldorf'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 Dusseldorf-born musicians, Kraftwerk have often been regarded as the most significant band in the history of post-war German music and as pioneers in electronic music. Internationally-known power metal band Warlock was formed in Dusseldorf in 1982. Their frontwoman, Doro (band), 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 in Germany Westernhagen and Heino come from Dusseldorf.

SPORTS IN DUSSELDORF

Dusseldorf is also famous for its traditional football team, Fortuna Dusseldorf, the German Champion of 1933. Today, Fortuna competes in the Regionalliga (3rd Division) and their new stadium, the LTU arena opened in January 2005 and has a capacity of 51,500. Dusseldorf is one of nine 1974 FIFA World Cup cities and the Rochusclub Dusseldorf hosted the tennis world team cup since 1978. Other sports in Dusseldorf are ice hockey (the DEG Metro Stars, former DEG - Dusseldorfer Eislauf Gemeinschaft, which play in the new ISS-Dome) and American football. The Dusseldorf Panther are the most successfull team in Germany with six national champion trophys. Rhine Fire Dusseldorf was an established team of the NFL Europe and won the world bowl two times in 1998 and 2000. Table tennis is also played (Borussia Dusseldorf), as are handball (HSG Dusseldorf), basketball (Dusseldorf Magics), baseball (Dusseldorf Senators) and dancing (Rot-Weiss Dusseldorf).

CARNIVAL

One of the biggest cultural events in Dusseldorf is the Dusseldorfer 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 Dusseldorf. Karneval ends on Aschermittwoch (Ash Wednesday). The Dusseldorf carnival is part of the traditional carnival festivities in the Rhineland.

SPECIAL DRINKS & FOOD

Dusseldorf is well-known for its Altbier, a dark beer, which is brewed only in the region of Dusseldorf. Other traditional drinks are the liquieurs Killepitsch and Samtkragen.

Traditional meals in the region are Rheinischer Sauerbraten (meat from horse pickled for a few days) and Sky and Earth (Himmel on Ähd) (black pudding with stewed apples mixed with mashed potatoes). In winter the people like to eat Muscheln Rheinischer Art (Rhenish-style mussels). Also a special meal: Dusseldorfer Senfrostbraten (Steaks roasted with mustard).

Together with the French city of Dijon Dusseldorf is famous for its hot Mustard served in a traditional pot called "Mostertpottche", which was even eternalized in a still life by Vincent van Gogh in 1884.

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DUSSELDORF TOURS & TRAVEL

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