The full name of Frankfurt is Frankfurt am Main. It is not only a financial center but also a cultural center with its 40 museums and theaters in Germany. Since the 16th century, it has been designated as the place to elect the emperor. Frankfurt has since gained the status of the European Cultural Center. The great writer Goethe and the author of Anne Diary, Anne Frank, were born here.
Frankfurt is a city with two aspects: it’s traditional and modern; it’s full of trade and culture; it’s bustling and serene. The museum area on the banks of the River Main is essential for Frankfurt’s cultural life. The museums on both sides of the Main River are like pearls shining with dazzling light.
1. Frankfurt Roman Square
The Roman Square is the town hall square in Frankfurt since the Middle Ages and it’s the heart of Frankfurt’s Old Town. It is located north of the Main River. On the west side of the square is the City Hall. On its southwest side is the Wertheim House that is a beautiful residence of the late Renaissance style. And on its south side is St. Nicholas Church built at the 13th century and built with red sandstone. At its east side is a wooden ribbed house built between 15th and 18th centuries, and on the north side of the square is a stone house built in the style of an Italian palace. In the center of the square stands the Justice Fountain that was built in 1543. In 1944, the square was violently attacked by the British Air Force and it’s almost completely destroyed and then rebuilt after the war.
2. Frankfurt Historical Cathedral
It’s one of the most famous churches in Frankfurt. It was built in 1239 for St. Barito Lomois and it became the official venue for the election of the Holy Roman Empire in 1365. Ten emperors were crowned here between 1562 and 1792. On August 14, 1867, a fire destroyed almost the entire church and was later built into a neo-gothic building. It was rebuilt during World War II, and the current building was newly built between 1950 and 1953. Not only can you visit the interior of the church, but you can also climb up to the top to view the whole city.
3. Frankfurt Town Hall
The Frankfurt City Hall was once the site of the election and coronation of the emperor. The building of three medieval-style conjoined private residences is in the heart of the old city of Frankfurt. The whole building is named after one of them – the oldest and most luxurious house. It is now the location of the registry and the mayor’s office. The Emperor Hall inside retains the portrait of 52 rulers. As the earliest government office in Frankfurt, it became a city hall since 1404 and restored to its original appearance in the 1980s. It is a typical German-style building and one of the symbols of Frankfurt.
4. Iron Bridge
This steel-framed bridge spans the Main River and links the south and north shores of Frankfurt. This neo-Gothic style bridge was built in 1869 and has been rebuilt many times until 1993. Now the bridge is full of concentric locks. Although it is no longer the main traffic artery for both sides of the Main River, it has become the symbol of love. The bridge is also the best place to see the scenery of the new city and the old city on both sides of the Main River.
5. Old Opera House
The old Frankfurt Opera House built in 1880 is a typical Italian Renaissance building and a replica of the Paris Opera. Its shape is of the ancient Greek style. And the arched windows are of the post-Renaissance style. Its interior is of the magnificent Baroque style. The original building was destroyed during World War II and it was reopened to the public in 1981. There are more than 340 performances including opera and performance of orchestras every year.
6. Main Tower
Main Tower is Europe’s first building with the glass exterior wall that was opened in 2000 and it’s one of the few skylines in Frankfurt. It’s 200 meters high. You can take the elevator to the observation deck for seeing a panoramic view of Frankfurt. You will see a modern bank complex on one side, and a white bungalow, an old town church, and a beautiful view of the River Main on another side. You can better feel the urban atmosphere of Frankfurt especially when night falls.
7. Goethe House and Goethe Museum
This is the place where the most famous German poet John Wolfgang Goethe was born (August 28, 1749). He spent his youth here when he wrote the famous “Women’s Worries” and the beginning of “Faust”. The Goethe Museum is next to the home of Goethe. The former residence originally built in the 17th century was destroyed by the Second World War and it was rebuilt. The furnishings of the former kitchen, bedroom and living room show the artistic style of the citizen’s residence during the post-Baroque time. The first floor of the former residence is mainly Blue Hall, Yellow Hall and kitchen; the second floor is Red Hall, Green Room and Grey Hall, Goethe’s study room is on the second floor; there is a very elaborate astronomical clock, the rooms where Goethe was born and the rooms of parents and sisters on the third floor; On the fourth floor there are some simple exhibitions and a coronation card. The Goethe Museum exhibits a large number of prints, paintings and statue works of classicism, romanticism and Biedmeier style during the Baroque period in the 18th and 19th centuries.
8. European Central Bank
The European Central Bank has three offices in Frankfurt. The euro sign in front of the ECB building that often appears on television is the Euro tower, It’s the symbolic building of Frankfurt that is as one of the European financial centers. This striking blue sign witness to the rise and fall of the currency in the euro zone.
9. St. Paul’s Church
St. Paul’s Church is an elliptical Protestant church built in 1789 and completed in 1833. It was served as the seat of the Frankfurt National Assembly from 1848 to 1849. On May 18, 1848, the National Assembly was held here for the first time, thus the assembly is named as the “St. Paul’s Church Conference.” In 1852, the Church of St. Paul resumed for religious use. St. Paul’s Church and most of the inner city of Frankfurt were almost destroyed during the World War II. As it is the symbol of freedom and the cradle of Germany, it was rebuilt after the war and reopened at the 100th anniversary of the Frankfurt National Assembly. The internal structure has changed a lot due to financial constraints. It is no longer a church, but it’s as a venue for various exhibitions and events, such as the Peace Prize Awards Ceremony.
10. Old St Nicholas Church
St. Nicholas Church is a palace church with a history of nearly 900 years and is the largest and oldest church in the city. St. Nicholas Church is a of Romanesque and late Gothic architectural style. The church’s mix of the red and white is already very beautiful. The scenery of the church together with the buildings next to it forms beautiful postcards of Frankfurt. The church is located at the intersection of two important trade routes between East and West and North and South. It is built to commemorate Nikolas who is the protector of the medieval wholesalers and traders.
