Kaiserswerth and the Kaiserpfalz Ruins

Kaiserswerth is a historic village on the Rhine in the far north of Düsseldorf, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and is best known for the ruins of the Kaiserpfalz, an imperial fortress founded in the eleventh century. Emperor Frederick Barbarossa expanded the stronghold in the twelfth century, and the surviving red-brick and stone walls still stand beside the river, with a pleasant grassy area for picnics and views along the water. The village retains a compact centre around Kaiserswerther Markt, with half-timbered and brick houses, small cafés, bakeries and restaurants. Other sights include the Romanesque Stiftskirche St. Suitbertus, which holds the shrine of Saint Suitbert, and the Kaiserswerth Diakonie, a Protestant institution founded in 1836 where Florence Nightingale trained in nursing. A visit usually takes 2 to 3 hours: a stroll through the market square, a walk around the ruins, then a route along the Rhine promenade, with a stop for coffee or a meal. No ticket is needed for the ruins or the village. The easiest way to get there is U-Bahn U79 to Kaiserswerth Markt, a ride of about 25 minutes from the Altstadt. For photographs, the ruins seen from the Rhine bank at golden hour and the church tower over the rooftops are the most rewarding angles. The village is quietest on weekday mornings and fills on sunny Sundays, when locals come for Kaffee und Kuchen along the riverfront. In winter the site is more subdued and some cafés close early, so opening times should be checked locally. Cyclists often include Kaiserswerth on the Rhine cycle path, and the nearby Rhine meadows offer quieter walking.