Düsseldorf

Düsseldorf, the state capital of North Rhine-Westphalia, may suffer by comparison to Köln's remarkable skyline, but the elegant city has more than enough charm—and money—to boost its confidence. By contrast to Cologne's boisterous, working-class charm, Düsseldorf is known as one of the country's richest cities, with an extravagant lifestyle that epitomizes the economic success of postwar Germany. Since 80% of Düsseldorf was destroyed in World War II, the city has since been more or less rebuilt from the ground up—in part rebuilding landmarks of long ago and restoring a medieval riverside quarter.