A visit to the Dusseldorf Rathaus – or City Hall – will provide a master class in German architectural styles across the centuries.
Sitting in the central square of the Old Town, the City Hall was designed to be an important building in the town’s administration. It comprises a complex of buildings, each of which contains key elements reflective of the period during which it was built.
The Old Town Hall building was constructed during the renaissance period according to a design by the architect H. Tussman. It was later redesigned and expanded by Johann Joseph Couvan in a more decorative Baroque style. See if you can pick out key features of the two different styles as you admire the building from the Marktplatz. The prominent renaissance-style clock tower, for example, differs from the rococo balcony and entrance way, which are typical features of the Baroque style. If you want to head inside for a closer look, you can find the opening hours on the very reliable Dusseldorf Tourismus website.
Next to the main Rathaus building, you’ll find Grupello House, a Neo-Renaissance building that now acts as a Plenary hall for the local government. This is the former dwelling place of the sculptor Gabriel de Grupello who was responsible for the Johann Wilhelm statue located at the centre of the town square.
Stretching away from the Rathaus is the city’s main square – a central gathering place with street artists, market stalls, cafés and bars. This is a great place to admire the architecture, while drinking in the local atmosphere. It is easy to while away a lazy afternoon watching the world go by as you relax with a coffee and a delicious cake at one of the coffeehouses on the square.
The City Hall’s central location in the Altstadt makes it easy to get to on foot or by public transport. Both buses and trams stop nearby, the Rhine Promenade and Hofgarten are not far away and there is paid on-street parking in the surrounding area.
