The Rhine promenade refers to the landscaped riverbank near the Düsseldorf (North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany) districts of Altstadt, Carlstadt, and Hafen. Other cities also have Rhine promenades; in Düsseldorf, it encompasses the streets Tonhallenufer, Schlossufer, Rathausufer, and Mannesmannufer.
The promenade was created during the Rhine riverbank extension project between 1898 and 1902. At that time, two levels were constructed. The lower level served for handling ship traffic and provided space for the necessary facilities. A promenade already existed on the upper level.
After World War II, the Rhine riverbank was redesigned for the construction of Federal Highway 1. A multi-lane road was built alongside, and in some parts even replacing, the promenade, effectively separating the city center from the Rhine.
Following the construction of the Rhine River Tunnel in the 1990s, which rerouted the entire highway underground, the riverbank was redesigned according to plans by architects Niklaus Fritschi, Benedikt Stahl, and Günter Baum. In 1995, two years after the tunnel’s completion, the new promenade was celebrated with a grand festival attended by one million visitors. Since then, it has been a popular destination for both Düsseldorf residents and tourists. The perron near Burgplatz is frequently occupied by visitors to the Old Town. The KIT Museum has been located near the former Mannesmann high-rise building since 2007. Further south, the new Apollo Varieté theater was built below the Rheinknie Bridge. The promenade’s southern extension ends at the North Rhine-Westphalia State Parliament building.
The design of the Rhine river promenade has received several awards, including the German Urban Development Prize in 1998.
