Rheinturm

The Rheinturm is the television tower of Düsseldorf and the tallest structure in the city, rising about 240 metres beside the Rhine at Stromstraße 20 in the Hafen district, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The slender concrete tower, completed in 1982 to a design by Harald Deilmann, dominates the skyline and can be seen from many parts of the Altstadt and the Rhine meadows. A fast lift carries visitors to the observation deck at roughly 168 metres, from which the view covers the Rhine bend, the Medienhafen below, the Altstadt rooftops, the Landtag building and, on clear days, the cathedral spires of Cologne in the distance. Just above the deck is the revolving restaurant Top 180, which turns slowly so that diners see the whole panorama over the course of a meal. The shaft also carries the Lichtzeitpegel, a light installation by Horst H. Baumann in which rows of lights on the tower work as a large digital clock, with the hours, minutes and seconds readable from across the city after dark. A visit normally takes 45 to 60 minutes including the ride and time on the deck, or longer with a meal. The tower sits next to the Landtag and a short walk from the harbour architecture, so it pairs naturally with an afternoon in the Medienhafen. Visibility matters: on hazy or overcast days the view is limited, and clear days in autumn and winter often give the sharpest long-distance views. Sunset and early evening are the most atmospheric times, with the city lights coming on and the clock lit. Queues are usually short, though weekends and clear summer evenings are busier. The Rheinbahn stops Landtag/Kniebrücke and Medienhafen are close, and the Altstadt is about 20 minutes away on foot along the harbour. Photography is possible from the deck, though reflections on the glass can be reduced by pressing the lens close to it.