Düsseldorf  is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is an economic centre of Germany. The city is situated on the River Rhine and also has a high population density - the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan area has over 10 million inhabitants alone. The city is renowned for its many events and also for its fashion and trade fairs. Every July more than 4.5 million people visit the Große Düsseldorfer Kirmes fair.

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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.

Music and nightlife

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 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 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 in Germany Westernhagen and Heino come from Düsseldorf. The influential electronic act D.A.F. was formed in the city in 1978. In The Oldtown (Altstadt) German and international tourists go out on the main street Bolkerstraße, while the local scene (students and creative people) prefers the bars on Ratinger Straße.

Sports

Düsseldorf is also famous for its traditional football team, Fortuna Düsseldorf, 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. Düsseldorf is one of nine 1974 FIFA World Cup cities and the Rochusclub Düsseldorf hosted the tennis world team cup since 1978.

Other sports in Düsseldorf are ice hockey (the DEG Metro Stars, former DEG - Düsseldorfer Eislauf Gemeinschaft, which play in the new ISS-Dome) and American football. The Düsseldorf Panther are the most successful team in Germany with six national champion trophies and the Eurobowl 1995. In addition the Junior-Programm is the most successful youth-football programm in Germany with thirteen national championchip titles.Rhine Fire Düsseldorf 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 Düsseldorf), as are handball (HSG Düsseldorf), basketball (Düsseldorf Magics), baseball (Düsseldorf Senators) and dancing (Rot-Weiß Düsseldorf).

Carnival

One of the biggest cultural events in Düsseldorf is the Düsseldorfer 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). The Düsseldorf carnival is part of the traditional carnival festivities in the Rhineland.

Special drinks and meals

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

Traditional meals in the region are Rheinischer Sauerbraten (horsemeat or beef 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: Düsseldorfer Senfrostbraten (Steaks roasted with mustard).

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

Theaters

• Deutsche Oper am Rhein (Opera; Ballet)
• Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus; the theater started with theatralic performances in 1585
• FFT - Forum Freies Theater (Juta and Kammerspiele)
• Kom(m)ödchen (political cabaret)
• Komödie Düsseldorf
• Tonhalle Düsseldorf (classical music, jazz, pop, cabaret)
• Theater an der Kö
• Capitol (musicals)
• Apollo (varieté, circus; shows do not require knowledge of German language)

• Aquazoo-Löbbecke-Museum (aquarium and zoological museum)
• Forum NRW
• Goethe-Museum
• Heinrich-Heine-Institut
• Kunsthalle Düsseldorf
• Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen - K20 (Grabbeplatz) and K21 (Ständehaus)
• Kunstverein für die Rheinlande und Westfalen
• Museum kunst palast
• Stadtmuseum (City history museum)
• Schloss und Park Benrath (Palace and park of Benrath) - Museum of European Garden Design
• Hetjens-Museum (German museum of ceramics)

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