MedienHafen (Media Harbor)

The MedienHafen (Media Harbor) in Düsseldorf is the city's showcase of contemporary architecture. On the site of an old Rhine cargo port, you now find Frank Gehry's famous twisting buildings, colorful office towers, design hotels and waterside restaurants, all right next to the Rheinturm TV tower. It is one of the most photogenic things to do in Düsseldorf and makes a great contrast to the historic Old Town.

Where it is and how to get there

The MedienHafen lies on the Rhine at the southern edge of Düsseldorf's city center, about 40 km north of Cologne. From Düsseldorf Hauptbahnhof, take tram 708 or 709 to Landtag/Kniebrücke, a few minutes' walk from the Gehry buildings. Alternatively, walk south from the Old Town along the Rhine promenade in about 20 minutes. Local transport is included in the Deutschlandticket, and trains from Cologne take around half an hour, so a day trip is easy.

From cargo port to media district

The harbor opened on May 30, 1896, and was expanded several times in the following decades. By the 1970s it had become too large for its purpose, and from the 1990s its northern part was transformed into an office and media quarter, encouraged by the state government. Broadcasters and media firms moved in first, followed by agencies, law firms and fashion brands.

What to see

• Neuer Zollhof (Gehry buildings): three buildings by Frank O. Gehry, completed in 1998/1999. One is white plaster, one is clad in shiny stainless steel and one is red brick, and all three lean and curve as if they were dancing.
• Colorium: a 17-story tower with a patchwork facade of colored glass panels and a bright red overhanging roof.
• Old warehouses and new offices along the harbor basins, including studios by British architect David Chipperfield from 1997.
• Hafenspitze: the twin towers of the Hyatt Regency at the tip of the peninsula between harbor and river, reached by a footbridge.
• Rheinturm and the state parliament (Landtag), directly to the north.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, especially if you like architecture or photography. The district is public, free and open 24/7 (as of October 2026). Allow 1 to 2 hours for a walk, longer if you eat here or go up the Rheinturm. Around 40 restaurants, bars, clubs and lounges line the basins. The best time is the blue hour, when the illuminated Gehry buildings and the tower are reflected in the water. Paths along the water are mostly level and easy with strollers or wheelchairs.

Düsseldorf Tourism offers guided architecture tours of the MedienHafen, starting at the Apollo Varieté beneath the Rheinknie Bridge. Most tours are in German, but Visit Düsseldorf also lists occasional English-language dates.

Nearby

• Rheinturm, with its observation deck at 168 m overlooking the harbor.
• Düsseldorf Old Town, a pleasant walk north along the Rhine promenade.
• Königsallee, the city's luxury shopping boulevard, about 20 to 25 minutes on foot.