Oberkassel.
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Photo: Garry Green |
Some may have noticed that street names are written in German in various ways, for instance Dusseldorfstrasse, Dusseldorf-Platz or Dusseldorfer Strasse. The latter, which means the street leading to Dusseldorf, actually exists in an area of town called Oberkassel and gives an insight to when the area was farmland with which four bright chaps decided to earn some cash.
They founded a company called the Rheinbahn, present day public transport provider for the region and bought up most of the land. The houses either side of the central bridge, Oberkasseler Brücke, reveal their grand plans with five full storeys but most other properties were downsized to three or four floors.
The majority of the residential buildings stem from the early 1900s and create a delightfully charming atmosphere. Three groups of people live here; the old established generations, including those who played football on the Dusseldorfer Strasse in their youth before the Rhine-Knie Bridge was built, those who came because it was pretty, quiet and relaxed and finally those who moved in after the area became fashionable.
The latter may pay more rent, drive and try to park more cars and spend fewer hours in the neighbourhood but all residents, employees of local companies and those frequenting the restaurants and bistros get on extremely well together.
Young or old, foreign or not, fashionable or not, the rich and the not so rich all love to spend time on the sprawling river bank, walking their dogs, dining out or having a drink at the bar.
This place is sought after so take a look at the tree-lined streets and study the beautiful town houses and apartment buildings, try the coffee in any of the numerous cafés and dine in the cosy gastro joints. Parking is very limited but any tram heading west will travel over the bridge and Barbarosaplatz or Belsenplatz are the relevant stops to alight at.
