Culture of Dusseldorf. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

Location on the map:   Facts: » St. Lambert's Basilica is the oldest building in Düsseldorf. In the 8th century, the first chapel in honor of St. Lambert was built by Saint Willeick.
»  In 1288, the village of Düssel received the status of a city and the construction of a wooden church began. After several fires that destroyed the wooden structure, the Duke Wilhelm I continued the construction of the temple, and in 1394 the basilica was consecrated.
»  This event is considered as the year of the church foundation. At the same time, the relic of St. Apollinaris, the patron of Dusseldorf, were brought into the basilica.
»  To this day, the temple keeps the relic of the head of St. Willeick. Apart from this, the church hosts two miraculous images of the Blessed Virgin dated from 1100 and 1334, and the tomb of the Duke Wilhelm V, buried in 1592. A valuable relic also is the Gothic tabernacle, which depicts the most ancient coat of arms of Dusseldorf.
»  In 1974, the Pope awarded the status of a "small Basilica" to the church of St. Lambert.

» The Church of St. Andreas was built from 1622 to 1629 and belonged to the Jesuit order. Over time, the building of the Jesuit College was attached to it.
»  In 1717 they built a tomb of the Wittelsbach family. The sarcophagus of Johann Wilhelm is placed exactly here. A monument located in front of the Dusseldorf City Hall is also designated to him.
»  In 1773, after the dissolution of the Jesuit order, the church became a parish, and in 2005 it was transferred to the Dominican order. Since 1984, the church has been protected by the state.
»  The modest appearance of the temple is in contrast to the rich interior decoration: the sculptures of 12 apostles and saints and the altar with stairs of white marble.
»  The pipe organ, created in 1782, was repaired after the war in 1953 and 1971. Citizens like to come on Sundays to the concerts of organ music.
»  The temple hosts the relics of several dozen saints, including Saint Andrew, John the Baptist of the Prophet, the Apostles Peter and Paul, and others.

» The Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia is built in 1988. The architectural project of the parliament building has won a specially announced contest.
»  Its peculiarity is that it’s made in the form of a large circle, the middle of which is occupied by the hall for plenary sessions. In the adjacent round segments there are offices for 350 deputies. The building is made of stone, glass and copper.
»  If you climb to the observation deck of the Rhine Tower, you can clearly see the Landtag parliament, reminiscent of a complex clockwork.
»  When the construction of the Landtag was completed, the construction of the City Gate and the Rhine Tunnel has begun, landscaping the Rhine Embankment area.
»  For tourists there are free guided tours of the Landtag building.

» The Church of St. John is made of red brick and is finished with a sharp green spire. Its height is more than 85 meters. Therefore, it is clearly visible from all sides of the city and is a good guide for tourists.
»  This Protestant church was built in 1881 and is designed for 1600 seats.
»  The portal of the church was originally decorated with a statue of Apostle John. But during the war, in 1943, the church was badly damaged. The roof with figures of angels was destroyed. Later, during restoration, they were returned not to their original place, but placed near the wall of the temple, as a reminder of a devastating war.
»  The restoration of the building was carried out in 1951 and, of course, much in the interior of the church has changed. Not all the details returned to their original locations.
»  Now, St. John's Church continues to hold services and liturgies for believers. On Wednesdays, free organ concerts are given in the church.
»  In the hall, there is a café with a different set of products and offering delicious lunches. In the evenings and at nights, the church is beautifully illuminated and resembles the Kremlin towers.

Location on the map:   Facts: » Marienkirche (Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary) has a rich and majestic appearance and resembles a cathedral. In the city, it is called the "Cathedral of the Virgin". The Catholic church was built in 1894-1896. During the bombing of 1943, the church suffered badly.
»  Its restoration began in 1950 and lasted nineteen years under the guidance of architect Josef Lehmbrock. He did not have an academic education (he was a carpenter), but as a self-taught architect, he was the leading representative of modernism.
»  Neo-gothic stained-glass windows, that were located between the towers and vanished during the destruction, were replaced with concrete ones with triangular holes. These unusual windows belong to Günter Grote, professor of the art academy. The next restoration began in 1976. It was completed in 1982 by architect Wilhelm Damen, returning the original conditions to the temple.