As I age and travel the world, I’ve seen many tall buildings, including the Burj Khalifa. That stands at 828 meters or 2,717 feet for the Americans.

So I ask myself at times, whether ascending towers are worth the trouble. After all, will I see anything new? Is the price going to be worth the view? And as structures turn into specks, would I even have a clue what any them are?

But as time and luck would have it, I had both. I did not expect my visit to Classic Remise to be short. So I had an hour to spare. And spare it I did.

Basic information

The Rhine Tower is situated in Dusseldorf. The length clocks in at 240.5 meters or 789 feet. This still functions as a telecommunications tower. But for foreigners and tourists like myself, the observation deck, the bar and the restaurant are its most important features.

Opening hours are generally from 10 in the morning until 12 midnight. If you arrive a bit early (before noon) or after 8pm, the ticket prices are lower. Standard for adults is EUR 12.50 but I found out by accident that late night entries are discounted and cost EUR 8.00. (This is a hack I should be exploiting more).

The location is pretty central in Dusseldorf. So if you happen to be in the shopping boulevard (Konigsallee), old town (Altsadt) or the Rhine Promenade, the distance is walkable. And that offers you alternatives before and after the visit.

For people who hate climbing, there is nothing to worry about. Elevator is the way to go!

What makes it unique?

Panoramic shots are standard in these kinds of offerings. But of course, only this one captures Dusseldorf.

I didn’t have drinks. But there is a bar. Surprisingly, I can get a seat easily if I wanted to. I would imagine the prices would be upscale compare to most of the city’s. But the view is the main course.

There’s apparently a revolving restaurant. I did not know that before coming. The 360 degree view is experienced in a matter of 72 minutes.

I’ve been to a similar place in Sydney. And while the proposition is unique, I barely noticed the movement and would just occasionally find myself noting that I saw a different side of the city a few minutes ago. I guess that makes sense. If the rotation was evident, most of the guests would have puked.

Did I Know?

Apparently, the tower is also the world’s largest digital clock. The series of light dots on display are readable from a distance. And they represent the numbers in military time. They are split into three sections representing hours, minutes and seconds.

Did I see it? No. It was summer. I slept early. The sun was out. I wasn’t paying close attention.

Would it have been nice if I had known that in advance? Yes. But this is what a crammer traveler and a guy who goes to places on a whim suffers from.

Do I need a ticket for that? Obviously not. As with many great structures, they are best admired from the outside.

Conclusion

I find it strangely fulfilling to see cities from a bird’s eye view. So, I have no regrets. I might not do it again if I come to Dusseldorf again.

Would I want to see the place from outside? Yes, especially knowing what I know now about the tower also serving as a digital clock and how easy it is to connect the dots.