The capital of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia was once a small village (Dorf) on the banks of the tiny tributary Düssel. Over the centuries, Düsseldorf has risen to become the third-wealthiest city in Germany and the economic powerhouse of the entire Rhine-Ruhr region.

Düsseldorf has been traditionally known as an administrative and financial center of the region and as a headquarters not only for heavy machinery companies but also for coal and steel producers. Because of its strategic significance, Düsseldorf was heavily bombed in World War II, and 85% of the city was destroyed. But the city rose from the ashes to rebuild and in the process became wealthy. The large number of banks and international headquarters in Düsseldorf means that it is a cosmopolitan city.

The Rhine River winds through Düsseldorf for many kilometers and defines the city. It links the affluent community of Kaiserswerth in the north with the old world charm of Benrath in the far south. It divides the city's lively old town, which is affectionately known as Germany's longest bar, with the fashionable Oberkassel. To see this for yourself, you should go to the top of the Rheinturm, which offers a 360-degree view from its large glass windows of the entire city and river below.

Düsseldorf is a study in contrasts. Just minutes away from the super-chic boutiques of the tree-lined Königsallee, you'll find smoke-filled beer houses and tapas bars in the narrow streets of the old city (Altstadt). And in the lush meadows along the Rhine River, sheep graze within sight of the ultra-modern office buildings of the "Hafen", the city's recently redeveloped river port.

Despite its population of only 581,000, Düsseldorf is an international city, with foreigners accounting for about 17% of its residents. Thanks to the building of a Japanese School in Düsseldorf in the mid-1960s, Düsseldorf is home to the largest Japanese community in mainland Europe. In addition, there are sizable communities of Dutch, British, American and French nationals.

While business in Düsseldorf is still mainly associated with heavy industry, the city has also developed into a center for the German advertising, telecommunications and fashion industries. Indeed, there are 400 advertising agencies in Düsseldorf, among them three of the largest in Germany: BBDO Group, Publicis Group and Grey Group. A number of affiliates of foreign agencies deserve mention as well, including Ogilvy & Mather, Dentsu, Hakuhodu, Digital District and DDB.

Many of these companies are headquartered in the recently redeveloped Media Harbor (Media Hafen), which is characterized by an ultra-modern signature building designed by the American architect Frank Gehry.

In recent years, the telecommunications sector has also grown rapidly. Two of the country's four major mobile phone providers, Vodafone and E-Plus, are headquartered in Düsseldorf. Numerous foreign providers also have a presence here, such as NTT, Ericsson, Nokia and GTS. The design and fashion industry is also an important sector in Düsseldorf. Each year designers from all over Europe come to the Igedo, one of the major fashion trade fairs.

Mention shopping in Düsseldorf, and the 'Kö' (short for Königsallee) is inevitably in the next breath. This tree-lined boulevard, dotted with ornamental canals and fountains, hosts many of the world's top designer shops, including Cartier, Lacoste, Gucci, Chanel, Escada, Hugo Boss, Joop, Prada and many more. Off the Kö, the Stilwerk mall is a temple of modern interior design, while nearby the Schadow Arkaden mall is home to yet more designer outlets. Meanwhile, the Schadowstraße is known as 'Germany's shopping mile' and is said to have the highest turnover in the entire country.

For more information, please visit the official website at: www.duesseldorf.de