Düsseldorf's Altstadt (Old Town) is the compact historic quarter on the right bank of the Rhine, about half a square kilometre of narrow lanes between the river and the Königsallee. It packs in around 260 pubs, bars and restaurants, which is why locals call it 'the longest bar in the world'. Between the brewhouses you will find the town hall square, the castle tower and the house where Heinrich Heine was born.
The Old Town at a glance
- Where: between the Rhine embankment, Heinrich-Heine-Allee and Carlsplatz, in the city centre of Düsseldorf.
- Founded: Düsseldorf received its town charter in 1288, after the Battle of Worringen.
- What it is today: the city's main nightlife district and historic centre, home to traditional Altbier brewhouses, churches, museums and the Rhine promenade.
- Time needed: two hours for a daytime walk; an evening if you want to try the brewhouses.
From fishing village to 'longest bar'
Düsseldorf began as a small settlement where the little river Düssel flows into the Rhine. In 1288 Count Adolf of Berg defeated the Archbishop of Cologne at the Battle of Worringen and granted the village town rights, a date the city still celebrates. The counts, and later dukes, of Berg made it their residence. Under Elector Johann Wilhelm, known as Jan Wellem, who ruled from Düsseldorf from 1679 to his death in 1716, the town gained an art collection, an opera and the equestrian statue that still stands in front of the town hall.
Heavy bombing in the Second World War destroyed much of the old town, and many buildings you see today are reconstructions. The quarter's character survived in its street plan and its brewhouses, where Altbier, a copper-coloured, top-fermented beer, is still brewed on site. In the 1990s the busy road along the river was moved into the Rheinufertunnel, and the embankment above became a promenade, linking the Old Town directly to the water.
What to look for
- The Jan Wellem monument on the Marktplatz: a bronze equestrian statue of the elector by Gabriel de Grupello, made between 1703 and 1711 and weighing almost eight tonnes. In the Second World War it was hidden in a mine tunnel.
- The Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus) behind it, built in 1570–1573 and remodelled in the 18th century.
- St Lambertus Basilica and its leaning, twisted spire, one of the landmarks of the Düsseldorf skyline.
- The Schlossturm on the Burgplatz: the last remnant of the old ducal palace, now home to a shipping museum.
- Heine's birthplace at Bolkerstraße 53, where the poet Heinrich Heine was born in 1797.
- The Radschläger fountain on the Burgplatz, from 1954, with boys turning cartwheels, the symbol of the city.
The cartwheelers of Düsseldorf
Cartwheeling boys, the Radschläger, appear all over Düsseldorf: on fountains, souvenirs and even door knockers. Nobody knows for sure how the tradition began, and there are several legends. The best known says that children turned cartwheels in the streets to celebrate the victory at Worringen in 1288. Another says that a wheel of a wedding carriage broke during a ducal procession and a boy held it together by turning with it. Since 1937 a cartwheeling competition has been held here, and today it draws more than 500 children each year.
Tips for your visit
- Order an Altbier in a brewhouse such as Uerige, Füchschen, Zum Schlüssel or Kürzer. The waiter, called a Köbes, brings a fresh small glass as soon as yours is empty; put your beer mat on top of the glass when you have had enough.
- Come in daylight first to see the buildings, then return in the evening, when the lanes around Bolkerstraße fill up.
- Walk out to the Rhine promenade at sunset: the steps by the Burgplatz are a favourite place to sit and watch the river.
- On weekend nights the Old Town gets very crowded; if you want a quieter drink, head to the brewhouses on the edges of the quarter.
Nearby
- Carlsplatz market: the daily food market on the southern edge of the Old Town, good for lunch.
- Königsallee: the elegant shopping boulevard along a canal, a few minutes' walk east.
- Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen (K20): the state art collection on Grabbeplatz, with major works of 20th-century art.
See Düsseldorf with World City Trail
Our Düsseldorf scavenger hunt turns the old town into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around 2 hours, with about 24 minutes of walking. It runs through the Old Town and includes St Lambertus Basilica, the Old Town Hall and the Kunstsammlung.
If you prefer a different format, there is also a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game in Düsseldorf.
Play the Düsseldorf scavenger hunt →
Take the self-guided walking tour of Düsseldorf →
Play the outdoor escape game in Düsseldorf →
Facts checked in October 2026.