Old Market Square
Alter Markt

The Alter Markt is the oldest square in Duisburg and has been the center of trade and city life since the Middle Ages. As early as the 12th century, the square was mentioned as the city’s primary marketplace, where merchants and craftsmen gathered to exchange goods. As a Hanseatic city, Duisburg had a strategic location on the Rhine and Ruhr, which meant that trade in salt, fish, grain and wine flourished here. The square was also home to the town hall, making it not only a commercial but also an administrative hub.

Architecturally, the square was surrounded by half-timbered and stone houses in the Gothic style and later also in the Renaissance style. Many of these buildings were destroyed during World War II, but several facades were reconstructed in the 1950s and 1960s. Today, you can see a mix of historical reconstructions and newer construction, which deliberately tries to preserve the square’s medieval proportions with narrow streets radiating from the square.

Today, the Alter Markt is a lively square filled with restaurants, cafés and shops. The area is used for city festivals, Christmas markets and cultural events, which keeps its historical function as a gathering place intact.

Castle Square
Burgplatz

Burgplatz marks the site of Duisburg’s royal castle in the early Middle Ages. The first castle was probably built in the 10th century under the Ottonian emperors, who used Duisburg as an important residence and defense bastion. The castle was strategically located close to the Rhine and was surrounded by a fortified city center, making it a center of power and politics. Gradually, the castle lost its importance, but the name Burgplatz maintains the memory of this important chapter in the city’s history.

Today, the square is characterized by several monumental buildings such as the Salvatorkirche, the historic town hall and remains of the old fortification. Architecturally, changing eras can be read on Burgplatz with the high tower of the Gothic church, the Renaissance character of the town hall and the more recent reconstructions from the post-war period. This mix of styles is testament to how the place has constantly changed its function and expression, but has always retained its status as the city’s center of power and representation.

Duisburg City Hall
Rathaus Duisburg

Rathaus Duisburg is the city’s town hall and one of the most striking buildings in the city center. The current building was inaugurated in 1902 and replaced an older town hall located on the Alter Markt. It was built at a time when Duisburg was growing explosively due to industrialization and port development, and the city government wanted a town hall that could match its new status and handle the administration of the growing city.

Architecturally, the town hall is characterized by North German Renaissance and Neo-Renaissance. The large sandstone facade is decorated with gables, columns and figures that tell stories from the city’s trading tradition and industrial development. The most striking feature is the monumental tower that rises above the square. Inside, you will find lavish staircases, large reception rooms and wall paintings that highlight Duisburg’s history from the Hanseatic period to the heyday of industry.

During World War II, the town hall was damaged, but fortunately the most important parts of the building were saved. After the war, it was restored with great respect for its original appearance, and today it continues to serve as Duisburg’s administrative center.

Church of Our Saviour
Salvatorkirche

Salvatorkirche is one of the oldest and most important churches in Duisburg. A church is mentioned on the site as early as the 9th century, but the current Gothic building was not built until the 14th century. The church served as the city’s most important parish church and was closely connected to the imperial castle on Burgplatz, which emphasized its central role in the city.

Architecturally, the church is an example of a Gothic hall church with tall, slender columns, impressive ribbed vaults and a powerful west tower that dominates Duisburg’s skyline. The church room contains both medieval elements and more recent additions. Among the most notable details are the historical epitaphs and altarpieces that survived the destruction of the war, as well as modern stained glass windows installed in the 1950s. During World War II, the Salvatorkirche was almost completely destroyed, but the post-war reconstruction preserved the basic Gothic structure.

Lehmbruck Museum

The Lehmbruck Museum is one of Germany’s leading museums for sculpture and is named after Wilhelm Lehmbruck, one of Duisburg’s most famous sons. The museum was founded in 1964 with the aim of presenting his works in dialogue with modern and contemporary art. It thus represents both a memorial site and an international art center.

The building was designed by Manfred Lehmbruck, the artist’s son, and is a masterpiece of post-war museum architecture. The open, cubic forms in concrete and glass create a transparency that connects the art in the museum with the surrounding sculpture park. The architecture is minimalist and supports the presence of the sculptures without dominating them.

The collection contains a large selection of Wilhelm Lehmbruck’s expressionist sculptures, but the museum also shows works by international artists such as Picasso, Henry Moore, Alberto Giacometti and Joseph Beuys.

MKM Museum Küppersmühle of Modern Art
MKM Museum Küppersmühle für Moderne Kunst

The MKM Museum Küppersmühle für Moderne Kunst is located in Duisburg’s inner harbor, which was one of Europe’s most important industrial hubs in the 19th century. The building itself, the Küppersmühle, was a large grain silo and mill that was built in the 1860s and later expanded in line with industrialization. Its conversion into a museum in 1999 is a clear example of the Ruhr area’s ability to transform industrial heritage into culture. The building’s industrial history is still visible in the red brick facades, the strong foundations and the enormous rooms that once housed grain warehouses.

The Swiss architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron, known for the Tate Modern in London, was responsible for the conversion. They created bright, open exhibition spaces that retain the raw industrial character, but at the same time provide space for large modern works of art. In 2021, the museum was expanded with a new three-story extension, doubling the exhibition space. The extension continues the design language of the old silo, but in a more modern, austere architecture, creating an exciting dialogue between past and present.

The collection focuses particularly on German post-war art and contains more than 300 works by artists such as Gerhard Richter, Anselm Kiefer, Sigmar Polke and Georg Baselitz. These artists represent some of the most important trends in European art after 1945. The museum has thus become a cultural beacon in the Ruhr area.

Museum DKM

The Museum DKM is one of Duisburg’s more hidden cultural gems. It opened in 2009 and houses the private collection created by collectors Dirk Krämer and Klaus Maas. The collection is remarkable because it combines Asian and ancient art with modern works in an unusual dialogue. There is everything from Egyptian sculptures and Buddhist figures to modern installations and minimalist works by artists such as Richard Serra and Ulrich Rückriem.

The museum building is a former commercial building that has been converted into a museum with minimalist architecture. The white walls, simple walkways and quiet atmosphere create an almost meditative space where you can experience art without distractions. The museum is deliberately designed to highlight each individual work, and the exhibitions are arranged thematically rather than chronologically.

City Museum of Culture and History
Kultur- und Stadthistorisches Museum

The Kultur- und Stadthistorisches Museum is a city history museum founded in 1902 and is today one of the most important institutions for conveying Duisburg’s long history. It is located in the inner harbor, emphasizing the connection between the city and its role as a trading and port city. The museum’s location in a converted harbor building means that the architecture itself reflects the city’s industrial development.

The museum’s collections range from archaeological finds from Roman times to modern urban history. A special emphasis is placed on the Middle Ages, when Duisburg was a thriving Hanseatic city. Among other things, you can see objects from the trading life, models of the medieval city and documents that tell about Duisburg’s role in international trade. A major attraction is the collection of Gerhard Mercator, who was a famous cartographer who lived in Duisburg in the 16th century. The museum contains several of his original globes and maps, which revolutionized navigation at the time.

Museum of German Inland Shipping
Museum der Deutschen Binnenschifffahrt

The Museum der Deutschen Binnenschifffahrt is a museum that is unique in Germany because it focuses exclusively on the history of inland shipping. It was founded in 1979 and has since been located in a former swimming pool from 1910 in the Ruhrort district. The Art Nouveau building with large windows, mosaics and vaulted ceilings is an architectural experience in itself. The swimming pool was restored and adapted for exhibition use, but many of the original architectural details have been preserved.

The museum’s exhibitions show the development of shipping on the major German rivers, especially the Rhine and the Ruhr. There are models of barges, cargo ships and tugboats, but also original ships and reconstructions that visitors can board. The collections document everything from technical advances in shipbuilding to the daily lives of sailors. One of the highlights is a full-scale interior of a cabin and cargo boat, which gives a realistic impression of life on the river.

Port Cruise
Hafenrundfahrt

A port cruise in Duisburg is an experience that connects the city’s present day with its industrial heyday. Duisburg’s inner harbor is the largest of its kind in the world. It was built in the 19th century, when the Ruhr area was Europe’s most important coal and steel region. The harbor grew rapidly and became the center for the transport of coal, ore, steel and grain.

Today, a port cruise is a journey through both industry and transformation. You sail past modern container terminals, giant cranes and silos, but also old warehouses that have been converted into offices, museums and restaurants. It is a visible example of how Duisburg has adapted from heavy industry to a more diversified economy with culture and the service industry.

Rhine Orange
Rheinorange

The Rheinorange is an impressive work of art and landmark that was erected in 1992. The 25-meter-high steel structure marks the exact place where the Rhine and Ruhr rivers meet. This very location makes the work a symbol of Duisburg’s identity as a river and port city, because the confluence of the two rivers was the city’s lifeblood for centuries.

The sculpture was created by the Lutz Fritsch group of sculptors and is painted in a strong orange color, which stands in sharp contrast to the blue rivers and the industrial landscape. The monumental shape and bright color make the work a landmark that can be seen from afar. It stands on a pier, where visitors can walk up close and experience the meeting of the rivers.

Tiger & Turtle – Magic Mountain

Tiger & Turtle – Magic Mountain is a spectacular work of art that was inaugurated in 2011 in Angerpark on a former slag heap. The work was designed by artists Heike Mutter and Ulrich Genth and depicts a gigantic steel roller coaster. Unlike a real roller coaster, however, this one is built as a footbridge that visitors can walk on.

The construction is 20 meters high and winds dramatically through the landscape. From the top, there is a magnificent view of Duisburg and the Ruhr area. Part of the roller coaster loop is not accessible, which emphasizes the play between fantasy and reality of the work. Architecturally, it combines heavy industrial heritage with the location on a slag heap with lightness and movement in the form. In the evening, the entire work is illuminated by LED lights, which enhances the experience.