Studying in the Metropolis on the River Rhine
Duesseldorf is a cosmopolitan and elegant city on the Rhine. Street cafés, boulevards, parks, the Rhine promenades and shopping arcades are elements of the characteristic Duesseldorf lifestyle which make the city an attractive and comfortable place to live.
The proverbial hospitality and "Gemutlichkeit" of the people living along the Rhine provide a unique cultural and social experience. The "Altstadt", the old part of the city, is famous for its many bars or pubs with locally brewed beers. "We make money where the money is, but we don't live here just to work," as one American puts it, summarizing the Duesseldorfers' attitude to their city.
The city has about 575 000 inhabitants, with more than 100 000 people from more than 56 countries in Europe, Asia, the Americas and Australia.
Restaurants offer local specialties, Mediterranean and Asian cuisine, some of the most authentic sushi bars outside Japan as well as other ethnic dishes. Deciding where to go and what to eat becomes a major decision process.
Highlights of Duesseldorf life are the traditional seasonal events. Towards the end of the year the Christmas Market with all its lights and stalls makes the colder and darker season more than bearable. Around February/March there is the Mardi Gras or Carnival, which has the whole of the city out and about in the streets celebrating. The open-air season of outdoor markets, fairs, concerts and cinema shows culminates in a huge kermiss or funfair on the banks of the Rhine in July.
Among the city's cultural attractions are several important art museums, a concert hall, an opera house with a renowned ballet company, the municipal theatre, cabarets and nearly a hundred private art dealers with international reputations. A variety of sports facilities on and off-campus are available for spectator sports or active participation.
Together, the students from the University of Applied Sciences, the Heinrich-Heine-University, the Music School and the famous Art Academy create a rich and varied student community which is well integrated into the life of the city.
