Dusseldorf, Germany- Citadellstrasse in Altstadt

The town of Dusseldorf is like Godiva Chocolatier's Dark Chocolate Gift Box. When you open the gold-embossed dark brown box to view the twenty-five assorted chocolates you see only chocolate on the outside. But bite into each chocolate and you find something different hidden beneath each delectable chocolate coating. Some chocolates encase nut filling, some fruit fillings. Those with soft nougat centers melt over your tongue slowly the way snow melts in March. Bite into a chocolate-covered piece of toffee and the crunchy caramel taste dazzles your taste buds the way the finale at a fireworks show dazzles the eyes.

While Dusseldorf is one city when you delve deeper you discover that this town, subdivided into several smaller districts, has as much variety to offer as Godiva does flavors of chocolate fillings. You can shop at all the designer brand shops on Konigsalle, known as the Champs-Élysées of Germany and affectionately referred to as "the Ko." Because Dusseldorf is a very international city, food from all around the world can be enjoyed at numerous restaurants ranging from casual pubs to fine dining, from typical German fare to Thai food or Lebanese dishes. Museums, art exhibits, university gardens, zoos and fashion and trade exhibitions round out the eclectic offerings of this old town.

 

Bolkerstrasse, Altstadt Dusseldorf



Wanderlust has brought me to different areas of Dusseldorf but always seems to lead me right back to my favorite area Altstadt, literally translated as Old City. Dusseldorf became a town in the late 1200s consisting only of a single street, a few houses and a small town square built in the area now known as Altstadt. Bolkerstrasse (pronounce the ending "e" as an "uh" sound) is one of the oldest streets in Dusseldorf. The cobblestone street stretches about three blocks, beginning near the underground train station and ending by the city building, referred to  as the Rathaus. Flanked by restaurants, shops, pubs and the Neander Church which was built in 1684, each night Bolkerstrasse becomes part of what is known as "the longest bar in the world" due to it's many pubs and bars.

Recently I met a friend in Altstadt for lunch. As we meandered through the streets she asked me if I wanted to head a different direction. Always one to have an interest in making new discoveries I was all over the idea of exploring territory that was new to me. We walked past Bolkerstrasse, heading farther away from the center of Altstadt toward a dark brown cobblestone street that wove us past a hotel toward the Dusseldorf history museum which sits across from a row of beautifully crafted buildings now serving as apartments. After warming our frozen fingers inside the history museum we continued toward the next museum my friend wanted to show me.

It was along the way to the Film Museum that I discovered the hidden gem in this trip. Let me back up and preface the rest of this blog post by saying that wherever I go in my travels I almost always end up learning something about myself or feeling a connection to the place I'm visiting. Citadellstrasse was no exception but the reasons weren't apparent to me until my second trip there. As I strolled down the street wtih my friend I was attracted to the quaint little antique book store and it's colorful display of old books. I was charmed by the ornate business signs and beauty of the old buildings. After returning home later that afternoon Citadellstrasse remained on my mind. The next week I made plans to go back with my camera and voice recorder so I could discover why Citadellstrasse had such a hold on me.

Six days later with an umbrella in one hand and camera in the other, another friend of mine and I winded through Altstadt toward Citadellstrasse with stomachs full of delicious Thai food. The cold air bit our fingers and the damp rain sent chills to the bone but I was determined to learn more about Citadellstrasse and my friend seemed equally excited at the opportunity to explore. This time I started at the end of the street where it forms a "T" with the Film Museum and Ceramics Museum with the intention of noticing each building and every address. Like a detective I wanted to piece together the different aspects of Citadellstrasse and figure out why it felt so special to me. Sandwiched in amongst the cobblestone bricks, the ornately carved wooden doorways, and the chiseled stone signs lied a story waiting to be told and I was there to learn the story.

At first glance, Citadellstrasse looks like any other residential-mixed-with-business type of street in a European neighborhood. I will agree that outward appearances do not blatantly convey anything that one would find astounding and certainly nothing that would likely be considered a tourist attraction. But as I explored building after building, sign after sign, door after door, the reasons for my initial sense of attraction began to take shape and the reasons for the bond I felt with Citadellstrasse became clear.

Tucked in amongst a beautiful, gated courtyard, the antique bookstore, a few art galleries, and some three-stories flats were the tales that told me why I felt connected to Citadellstrasse. Like pieces of a puzzle, I looked at each one, one at a time, with curiousity and wonderment then set it aside until I found more puzzle pieces with which to connect it. The common thread didn't become clear to me until I was at the end of the block and the proverbial lightbulb went on over my head and I knew, without a doubt, why Citadellstrasse called to me.

Sitting quietly amongst the other buildings were three buildings that caught my eye. One was the Polish Institute for immigrants to the Dusseldorf area. Another was the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce for those of German/Indian decent. The last puzzle piece was an old apartment building at the end of the street where some Turkish men stood smoking cigarettes and leaning into the arched doorway to stay sheltered from the cold. In that moment I realized that, among other things, Citadellstrasse was a street that welcomed, assisted, and provided a home to people coming to Dusseldorf from other countries or whose family members before them had made the decision to leave their homeland for a new life in Germany. And therein lied the connection I was feeling.

 

As an immigrant I have felt the same sense of joy, excitement, and anticipation in moving to another country. I have experienced the same stresses over whether or not I will be allowed to stay...the same fears over whether or not I could learn the language, the customs, and all the new ways. Many of the people on Citadellstrasse experience the same feelings everyday and their emotions permeate the air. As I walked the length of the street another time I imagined countless immigrants walking through this area over the last 600 years since Dusseldorf started to grow. Can you imagine how many people have walked this area in 600 years or how they felt as they soaked up their first impressions of the new country in which they lived?

Aside from admiring the craftsmanship that went into the buildings and the street, visiting the museums for a glimpse at local culture, or enjoying the nightlife on nearby Bolkerstrasse, Citadellstrasse appeals to the heart and spirit of anyone who has ever wandered away from home. Whether your wanderings took you, as a child, to another neighborhood or, as an adult, to a new land...if you felt a momentary connection to other people who have made the decision to step outside the comfort of their own backyard then you understand why I felt the need to go back to Citadellstrasse. And you understand why it now holds a special place in my heart.