In Germany's Dusseldorf, shades of art meet fashion

The city is eclipsed by better known spots like Berlin, but its vibrant art and fashion scene is not to be missed

- Anita Rao Kashi

From Dusseldorf’s Oberkasseler Brucke, high above the Rhine, the river seemed to flow lazily, its ripples glistening under a weak sun. A swift, bitingly cold breeze blew over the river, slapping everything around; the handful of pedestrians on the bridge huddled further into their coats and hurried along. But the uncomfortable temperature did nothing to dampen the city’s allure, especially the sight from the bridge. 

Like most European towns, Dusseldorf has a cluster of old-world buildings. In the mid-morning sun, their earthy time-worn, weather-beaten facades glowed. While the vantage point provided a macro-perspective, up close Dusseldorf’s Alstadt (Old Town) was delightful. It was a maze of cobblestone streets. Between the Rhine embankment, a long walkway with two rows of trees planted almost with geometrical precision, and Hofgarten, a lush and sprawling garden, was the Alstadt, less than half a square kilometre. But it was filled with historical buildings and monuments going back a few centuries such as the St.-Lambertus-Basilika, the Schlossturm (palace tower) on Burgplatz, the historic Rathaus (city hall) and the Jan-Wellem Reiterdenkmal (an equestrian monument) in the square fronting the city hall.