On the edge of the picturesque centre of Kaiserswerth, the mighty ruins of the legendary Emperor Barbarossa’s medieval palace rise directly from the riverbank, once one of the most important fortresses on the Rhine.

Starting as a small community theater in the late 1970s, American Stage has evolved and for over a decade has been voted “Best of the Bay” by local residents. If in the area during March — April, a treat is one of the performances in a nearby park, often a play by Shakespeare. Bring your blankets and wine to enjoy theater outside among the trees.

This is one of the few surviving parts of the ancient defence system that once surrounded the Old Town. Built in the early 14th century, it was the main defence of the north. Further towers were added in the 15th century, but the Florian's Gate is the only remaining gate from the original eight. In 1660, it was extended to include a Baroque roof, raising its height by one metre, and today it measures around 33.5 metres.

Added in early 2002 as the second main pillar of the Kunstsammlung and accommodating contemporary art was the Ständehaus am Kaiserteich, until 1988 the seat of the Parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia. Four wings with continuous arcades surround the building’s central public area, a spacious plaza. The creative treatment of this representative building in the Historicist style (1876-80) by the Munich architectural office of Kiessler + Partner created a modern museum building with a striking glaze domed roof which shapes the building’s aesthetic and at the same time spans an expansive sculpture garden located on the uppermost level. Together, a flexible hall for temporary exhibitions in the ground floor level and the upper galleries comprise more than 5300 m² of surface area. Installations and artist’s rooms are an important focus of the Kunstsammlung, an area which has been expanded continuously in recent years.