Duisburg
WHERE GREEN PARKS HAVE REPLACED HEAVY INDUSTRY

Duisburg-North Landscape Park. © Bastian Rothe / DAAD
Duisburg-North Landscape Park. © Bastian Rothe / DAAD© Bastian Rothe / DAAD

Situated at the confluence of the Rhine and Ruhr Rivers, Duisburg built its fortune on steel and coal. Now its residents have reclaimed their home town and enjoy green parks, spacious meadows and a bit of nostalgia. An ideal place to study and get to know German history and culture.

Facts

495,152 Inhabitants ¹

41,421 Students ²

1 Higher education institution ²

WELCOME TO DUISBURG

When you arrive in Duisburg by train and exit the main station, the first thing you see is a treeless, desolate square – and sometimes a blustery wind blows into your face. But don’t let that change your mind about staying, because Duisburg is worth it.

This is where the Rhine and Ruhr Rivers converge, and its beauty is not immediately obvious to the casual observer. Which makes it all the more interesting to discover what the city has to offer. Only a few minutes away from the main train station, you’ll find the Inner Harbour – the „place to be“ in Duisburg. The old storehouses around the harbour basin have been modernised and new buildings have been added in recent years. Alongside offices and shops, one now finds restaurants and bars and Duisburg’s residents enjoy warm summer evenings on the outdoor terraces.

Tiger and Turtle Magic Mountain at Angerpark Duisburg-Nord. © Bastian Rothe / DAAD
Tiger and Turtle Magic Mountain at Angerpark Duisburg-Nord. © Bastian Rothe / DAAD

We recommend taking a walk through the North Duisburg Landscape Park in the summer time: This former industrial complex with its blast furnaces, factory halls and gigantic machines has been reclaimed and transformed into a green park. On weekdays the old chimney stacks are illuminated in different colours; on the weekends the illumination is extended to further parts of the industrial complex. This creates a magical atmosphere.

Tip

Pay a visit to Weseler Strasse! In recent years, this street has become Germany’s bridal fashion centre. Here you’ll find one bridal boutique after another, along with jewelry stores and outfitters. Even if you don’t want to buy anything, it’s always fun to watch the hustle and bustle! The selection is so large that even soon-to-married couples from the Netherlands, Belgium and France come here to shop.

As you explore the city, you’ll occasionally discover places that still bear witness to the city’s industrial past. Duisburg was once an important steel and coal mining town. Home to Europe’s largest inner harbour, Duisburg exported products to every corner of the world. But after the so-called „steel crisis“ in the 1970s, the demand for Duisburg steel sank and numerous steel mills and smelting plants were forced to shut down. As a result, many people lost their jobs.

ALVARO FROM BOLIVIA

LIFE IN DUISBURG

For a long time the city struggled to rebound from the collapse of its industry, but in recent years it has reinvented itself. Many people are dedicated to promoting the city and using the newly acquired spaces for art and cultural projects.

Compared to Essen or Düsseldorf, you’ll find beautiful and large flats at an affordable price in Duisburg. And its location couldn’t be better: Situated in the centre of North Rhine-Westphalia, you can quickly reach , , and the Netherlands.

Apartments and rooms in flat shares (WGs) are inexpensive, and when you go out with friends, you won’t have to spend very much money.

Links

Even though Duisburg used to be very industrial, you’ll find it full of nature today. In addition to the in North Duisburg, you should also visit the . Some of the lakes are open for swimming, and around others there are trails and bike paths which you can take to explore the picturesque surroundings.

How to find a room in Duisburg

Many university and college towns have dormitories or student halls, and a room there is often the most affordable accommodation. To obtain a room in a dormitory or student hall, you have to apply to your college or university’s student union (). Our ‘Find Student Hall’ function can be of practical help. You only need to make a few mouse clicks to get to the online application form. Find a room and more information about dormitories and student halls in Duisburg. 

Sources
¹ 
² 

 

Cities similar to Duisburg

Castle © Brothe
Detmold castle© Brothe
Cities of culture+15
Cities of culture+15

Detmold

#OldResidenceTown #TimberedHouses #Castle

Students can relax while looking at the Rhine and the vineyards near Bingen. © Esther u. Heiko Brendel
View of the Rhine and the vineyards© Esther u. Heiko Brende
Bingen+11
Bingen+11

Bingen

#Rhine #Vineyards #HildegardVonBingen

Statue in the courtyard of the Veste Coburg. © Sophie Nagel
Courtyard Veste Statue© Sophie Nagel
Central Germany+15
Central Germany+15

Coburg

#CastleComplexVeste #BavarianCulture #FranconianSmallTown

Mainz Dome © Horschig/DAAD
Mainz Dome© Horschig/DAAD
Central Germany+4
Central Germany+4

Mainz

#Rhine #MainzerFastnacht #BookprintingJohannesGutenberg

Valhalla © Mijozi/wikicommons
Valhalla in the Danube Valley near Regensburg© Mijozi/wikicommons
City+4
City+4

Regensburg

#RomanCityOnTheDanube #MedievalOldTown #UNESCOWorldHeritageSite

Statue in Furtwangen
Statue in Furtwangen© Janine Funke
Federal State Baden-Württemberg+4
Federal State Baden-Württemberg+4

Furtwangen

#SmallTown #LargeForest #HistoricCityCenter

Ludwigsburg Residence Palace with its flower meadow © © Tourism & Events Ludwigsburg
Ludwigsburg Residence Palace with its flower meadow© Tourism & Events Ludwigsburg
Federal State Baden-Württemberg+3
Federal State Baden-Württemberg+3

Ludwigsburg

#SwabianCulture #BaroqueCity #CastlesAndParks

The Roland statue next to Bremen City Hall with the Germany flag. © Bremen Tourist Office
Roland statue© Bremen Tourist Office
Bremen+13
Bremen+13

Bremen

#BremenTownMusicians #Weser #SVWerder

Holstein Stairs © Frank Vincentz/wikicommons
Holstein Stairs© Frank Vincentz/wikicommons
City+3
City+3

Wuppertal

#CityOfStairs #SuspensionRailway #MountainsAndHills