City Guide: Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Things to see and do in Germany’s business capital
There’s much more to Frankfurt than what the typical visitor sees, even if they manage to venture beyond the airport or train station. Frankfurt is definitely Germany’s main travel hub and financial center, but it is also a very pleasant city to visit, and to live and work in. To learn why, keep reading.

“Bankfurt” • Germany’s Financial Capital

Frankfurt am Main is the largest city in the German state of Hesse (Hessen in German), but not the capital, which is nearby Wiesbaden. Frankfurt lies on the banks of the river Main (pron. mine). The city’s full name, Frankfurt am Main (“Frankfurt on the Main”), distinguishes it from the other, smaller Frankfurt on the Oder river (Frankfurt an der Oder) on the Polish border. Frankfurt am Main has about 753,000 residents (2018), but the greater Rhein-Main metro region is home to over five million people.

Frankfurt and the Main river viewed from the 66-meter (216-feet) viewing platform atop St. Bartholomew’s Cathedral. The climb up 386 spiraling steps is worth it. The Sachsenhausen district is on the left in this view. PHOTO © Hyde Flippo

Some Frankfurt History
Evidence of first-century Roman settlements can be found all around the Frankfurt area, but particularly in the center of Frankfurt, not far from the river, around a square called the Römerberg, which takes its name from the Romans. The city began as a place suitable for fording the Main river. The name Frankfurt means “the ford of the Franks.” (The German word for “ford” is “Furt.”) The Franks were a Germanic tribe who shared the region with another tribe called the Alemanni.

The Frankish king Karl der Große (ca. 742-814, known in English as Charlemagne) was crowned emperor (Kaiser) of the Holy Roman Empire in the year 800 in Aachen. Frankfurt (Franconofurd) was one of the most important cities in that empire. In 1372 Frankfurt became a Reichsstadt (imperial city), meaning it was directly subject to the Holy Roman Emperor, not to a regional ruler or a local nobleman.

As early as 1150, the Frankfurt Trade Fair (Frankfurter Messe) was drawing commerce to the city. Its famous Book Fair (Buchmesse), held annually in early October, began in the earliest days of printing, in 1478.

During the short-lived revolution of 1848, Frankfurt was the seat of the first democratically elected German parliament, the National Assembly (Nationalversammlung), which first met in the Paulskirche (St. Paul’s Church) on May 18, 1848. Unfortunately, the revolution collapsed in 1849. Frankfurt has survived several wars, from the Thirty Years War (1618-1648) to World War II, which left most of the city in rubble. Almost all of the “old” architecture seen in Frankfurt’s Altstadt (Old Town) and the Sachsenhausen district today was carefully rebuilt after 1945. The Römerberg (city hall square) reconstruction was not fully completed until 1983.

This aerial view (US Army Air Force photo dated March 1945) shows the massive Allied bombing destruction of Frankfurt’s Old Town along the Main river. St. Bartholomew’s Cathedral (Dom Sankt Bartholomäus) is virtually the only major structure still standing. The Sachsenhausen district is seen on the far (south) side of the river.

Following the war, Frankfurt rose to become West Germany’s (and now Germany’s) major banking and insurance center, earning it the nickname “Bankfurt.” The Frankfurt/Rhein-Main region was in the US occupation zone and was home to many American soldiers based there during the Cold War. The Rhein-Main Air Base next to the Frankfurt International Airport was a major US and NATO facility for 60 years until it closed down in December 2005. (Ramstein Air Base near Kaiserslautern and the Spangdahlem Air Base near Trier assumed all of Rhein-Main’s airlift duties.) The Rhein-Main Air Base also played an important role in the Berlin Airlift (1948-1949), during which C-47 and C-54 aircraft ferried coal, flour and other cargo to West Berlin. Over the years thousands of US soldiers, including Elvis Presley, passed through its gates on their way to or from Germany.

Frankfurt Today

The Eurotower and the euro sculpture, designed by Ottmar Hörl, near Willy-Brandt-Platz in downtown Frankfurt. The European Central Bank moved to a new location in 2015. See “ECB” below. PHOTO © Hyde Flippo

“Mainhattan”: Frankfurt’s skyscraper skyline on the banks of the Main has earned the city another of its many nicknames: “Mainhattan.” All but one of Germany’s 15 skyscrapers (buildings at least 150 m tall) are found in Frankfurt. The 56-story Commerzbank Tower in Frankfurt’s center is Europe’s second tallest building, and the tallest in Germany. Since 1945, the city has become such a major financial, insurance, and transportation center for Germany, that people gave it yet another label: “die heimliche Hauptstadt” (“the secret capital city” of Germany). Frankfurt is also home to the European Central Bank (ECB, which controls the euro currency), the Deutsche Bundesbank (Buba, German Federal Bank), and the headquarters of most of Germany’s major commercial banks. The Frankfurt Stock Exchange (Deutsche Börse AG) is Germany’s largest. Only the London and New York stock exchanges are larger. The annual Frankfurt Book Fair in October is one of the largest and most important events for publishers from all over the world. (See our related Web links for Frankfurt below.)

Frankfurt as an Air and Rail Hub

Most travelers flying into or out of Germany do so via Frankfurt International Airport, the largest in Germany, and one of the largest in Europe. The S-Bahn rail trip between the airport and the city’s main train station takes only about 12 minutes. (See more about the Frankfurt Airport.) Frankfurt is also a major rail hub, with many high-speed (ICE) train connections to German and European cities. (See more about rail travel in Germany.)

Travelers who only see the airport or train station are making a mistake. Frankfurt am Main is well worth spending a little time to get to know the city better. Here’s why…

One of Frankfurt Airport’s terminals at night. PHOTO © Hyde Flippo

See our Hotels and B&Bs page for Frankfurt hotels.

Scenic Sights and Attractions

Known more as a business and financial center, Frankfurt nevertheless has much to offer in the fields of culture, history, and art. The city is a pleasant place to live for its permanent residents, with a wide range of dining, recreation, and other attractions. Here are some of Frankfurt’s top attractions:

Der Römerberg
The ancient center of Frankfurt lies at the central square known as the Römerberg, or “Roman hill.” The Frankfurt city hall, begun in 1405 and known as the Römer, has been rebuilt and restored over the years after being destroyed by Allied bombs during the war. It is still a functioning city hall today.

Der Main
The river Main (pron. mine) is one of Frankfurt’s best attractions. The city has wisely turned many stretches along the banks of the river into pleasant places to stroll, bike, or relax. Also see Museumsufer below.

The Main River flows through Frankfurt, hence the name “Frankfurt am Main” (Frankfurt on the Main). PHOTO © Hyde Flippo

Dom St. Bartholomäus
St. Bartholomew’s Cathedral (Kaiserdom, “the imperial cathedral”) was established in the ninth century and was once where the Holy Roman German emperors were crowned. The gothic church (not officially a cathedral) has been reconstructed twice, most recently in 1950 to repair damage from Allied bombs. The 66-meter (216-feet) viewing platform is reached by climbing up 386 spiraling steps. There is no elevator, but for two euros you’ll get one of the best views in Frankfurt. (Photo at the top of this page.) Until Frankfurt’s first high-rise buildings (Hochäuser) were constructed in the 1960s, this gothic church was the tallest structure in Frankfurt.

Paulskirche
St. Paul’s church was the site of the assembly of the ill-fated 1848 revolution (see above). Built in 1789 as a Protestant church, St. Paul’s is no longer used as a church.

Museumsufer
The “Museum River Bank” is a section along the Main, to the east and west of the Untermainbrücke (Lower Main Bridge), where you’ll find more than 20 museums on both sides of the river, with most located on or near the south (Sachsenhausen) bank. Some of the best: das Deutsche Architekturmuseum (DAM, architecture), das Deutsche Filmmuseum (cinema), das Museum für Moderne Kunst (MMK, modern art), das Goethe-Haus (see more below), das Jüdische Museum (Jewish Museum), the Städel (art museum) and the Naturhistorisches Museum Senckenberg (natural history museum, with dinosaur bones) just north of the train station.

Wallanlagen
The “ramparts parks” are remnants of Frankfurt’s historic city wall fortifications that once surrounded the Old Town. The section between the Main riverbank and the Opernplatz, referred to officially as Taunusanlage and Gallusanlage, is also known as “Central Park” because of the skyscrapers that rise above it on both sides. A stroll through this park is a free and pleasant way to tour part of the city. Exiting the U-Bahn at Willy-Brandt-Platz you’ll see the famous blue and yellow “euro sculpture” sign as you enter the Gallusanlage. The green park stretches beyond the Opernplatz into the Bockenheimeranlage and beyond.

Alte Oper
The “Old Opera House” (1880) is no longer used for operas, but is now a concert house. The modern Oper Frankfurt at Willy-Brandt-Platz is now the city’s highly respected opera house.

Katherinenkirche (St. Catherine’s church) tower seen from the Hauptwache café. PHOTO © Hyde Flippo

Hauptwache
This Frankfurt landmark, built in 1730, was once a guardhouse, a prison, and later a police station. (See photo above.) Today it lends its name to the surrounding square and is a key station for Frankfurt’s S-Bahn and U-Bahn public transit system. The Hauptwache (HOWPT-vakh-uh) building itself is now a popular café.

The Zeil
Frankfurt’s main shopping avenue is a long pedestrian zone that runs between the Hauptwache and Konstablerwache squares. (Photo below.)

Frankfurt’s “Zeil” pedestrians-only shopping district is located in the city’s center. PHOTO © Hyde Flippo

Skyscrapers
Frankfurt earns its “Mainhattan” nickname by having more tall buildings than any other German city. The title of Europe’s tallest Wolkenkratzer (skyscraper) was held by the Messeturm (Trade Fair Tower, 257 m) until 1997, when the Commerzbank Tower beat it by a mere two meters. While it is still the tallest building in Frankfurt, the Commerzbank Tower lost the claim of Europe’s tallest to the Triumph Palace in Moscow. Other tall buildings in Frankfurt include the DZ Bank building (208 m), the Maintower (200 m, with restaurant and a public observation deck), the DekaBank Trianon (186 m), and the Silberturm (Silver Tower, 166 m). The Europaturm TV tower at 337.5 meters is the tallest structure in Frankfurt.

European Central Bank (ECB)
Before the euro replaced the Deutsche Mark, Frankfurt was home to Germany’s “Fed,” the Bundesbank (and it still is). In 1998, when the ECB was created, Germany insisted on Frankfurt becoming the home of the new Europäische Zentralbank (EZB). At first the Eurotower in the banking district housed the ECB, but in March 2015 the new ECB skyscraper in the Ostend part of the city was inaugurated. The ECB building offers guided tours to the public, for both individuals and groups.
WEB: About the ECB – From the official website
WEB: Visiting the ECB

Sachsenhausen
This Frankfurt district, located south of the Main river, is a popular upscale residential area. The old town section near the river is home to many restaurants, cafés, and bars. Sachsenhausen is known for its Apfelwein-Kneipen (apple wine bars) that serve apple or cider wine (Ebbelwei in the local dialect), a Frankfurt specialty. Try it at almost any café or dining establishment in the area or in many places in Frankfurt.

An evening view of Frankfurt’s skyline seen from the Franziska restaurant and bar in the New Henninger Tower located in the Sachsenhausen district. PHOTO: nikita kulikov photography and the Franziska Restaurant and Bar

Der Henninger Turm (old and new)
The 120-meter high Henninger Tower (Henninger Turm, 1961) was a Sachsenhausen landmark (if a somewhat ugly one) originally built as a giant silo to hold barley for beer brewing. Every May Day until 2008 a bicycle race was held that looped around the tower. The tower’s observation deck closed to visitors in 2002 and the tower itself was demolished in 2013 to make way for the New Henninger Tower (2017), now a better looking residential building. But the new tower also features an observation deck and the panoramic Franziska restaurant and bar.

Book Fair/Buchmesse
Frankfurt’s famous book fair dates back to the 15th century. It’s a good idea to book your hotel room far in advance of this annual event (usually in early October), when the city’s lodgings are filled to capacity. The public is allowed to attend the book fair on the last few days – for a fee of course.

Getting around in Frankfurt is easy using public transportation. The S-Bahn and U-Bahn rail network crisscrosses the city and also reaches nearby towns from Mainz and Wiesbaden in the west, to Hanau in the east, and Darmstadt in the south.
PHOTO: Hyde Flippo

Das Goethe-Haus
Germany’s most famous writer and poet, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832), was born in Frankfurt. Today the house in which he was born is a museum. Located within walking distance of the Hauptwache, his reconstructed house and a modern museum annex can be found on a street called Großer Hirschgraben. Frankfurt’s university, founded in 1914, is also named for Goethe.

Der Goetheturm
The Goethe Tower was a 43-meter tall wooden observation tower in Sachsenhausen that offered a panoramic view of Frankfurt. In October 2017 the Goethe Tower was destroyed in a massive fire. The mayor promised the beloved landmark would be rebuilt, but reconstruction was delayed until November 2019. Built in 1931, the tower has long been a popular place for locals who frequent a large playground and café at the foot of the tower. Climbing the Goethe Tower is free of charge.

Frankfurt Highlight: The English Theatre

Originally founded in 1979 as the “cardboard clowns,” the English Theatre Frankfurt offers professional stage productions, from musicals to dramas, for over 60,000 patrons each season. About 70 percent of the audience are native German-speakers, with the other 30 percent made up of expats and other English-speaking residents. Over the years the organization has outgrown several venues, but since 2003 it has been in a 300-seat theatre on the ground floor of the 38-story Gallileo highrise at Gallusanlage 7. The original building owner and sponsor, Dresdner Bank, was taken over by Commerzbank in 2009, which has continued to support the English Theatre along with other sponsors. It celebrates its 40th Anniversary Season in 2019/2020. See english-theatre.de for the current productions.

Next | City Guides: Germany

COMING: The Frankfurt Photo Gallery

Related Pages
AT THE GERMAN WAY

• City Guides: Germany – More cities
• Hotels and B&Bs
• Driving in Europe – Tips for driving in Germany and Europe
• Air Travel – Flying to or in Germany
• Rail Travel in Germany
• Travel and Tourism – Travel-related information for Germany, Austria, Switzerland
• Notable People – Bios of notable people from the German-speaking world

ON THE WEB.

• Frankfurt Tourism – The official city tourism website, in English. What to see and do in Frankfurt
• Frankfurt.de – The official city website for residents
• Buchmesse Frankfurt (Frankfurt Book Fair)
• Messe Frankfurt (Frankfurt Trade Fair)
• Frankfurt Airport (arrivals/departures, info, etc.)
• Deutsche Börse AG – Frankfurt stock exchange, DAX, etc. (In English)

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