Dusseldorf is one of the modern prosperous cities and an important commercial and cultural centre in Germany . After Frankfurt , it is the largest financial centre in the country and is home to a large and wealthy elite class. The city also serves as the capital of the Nordrhein-Westfalen region. Spread across both banks of the Rhine River , the city has a unique architectural skyline, with several stainless steel and aluminum buildings gleaming in the sunlight.

The "Königsallee" (or King's avenue) - often just simply called "Kö" was laid out at the beginning of the 19th century along the edge of the old city moat. One of the most elegant shopping streets in Europe , the Königsallee is lined with expensive shops and luxurious galleries. In between are numerous bars and restaurants. Particularly notheworthy is the Art Nouveau department store Tietz (where now the Kaufhof department store is situated).

The Schlossturm (Castle tower - now houses the Navigation Museum ) and the Gothic St. Lambert's church (with its slightly crooked bell tower) stand on the borders of the mighty Rhine . The old road between the old town and the river has been buried under a new walkway right next to the river, the "Uferpromenade".

The centre of Düsseldorf has so many cafés and bars that it is sometimes called "the largest bar in the world".

The municipal "Kunsthalle" (Art Hall) at Grabenplatz frequently organizes contemporary art exhibitions. In front of the Kunsthalle, behind a marble façade, one can admire the art collection of North Rhine Westphalia with its 20th century collection ranking from Pablo Picasso, over Roy Lichtenstein to Paul Klee.

The Heinrich Heine Institute in Bilkerstrasse houses the largest document collection in Germany about the life and work of Heinrich Heine, who was born in Düsseldorf in 1797. Nearby, the Jägerhof Baroque palace in Jacobistrasse is home to a Goethe Museum.

The Ehrenhof Fine Arts Museum (Kunstmuseum) has a nice collection of French, Italian and Flemish masters from the 15th to the 20th century.