Frankfurt am Main or simply Frankfurt is the 5th largest city in Germany, located in the central part of the country. This is a city of contrasts, where skyscrapers and shopping centers quite harmoniously coexist with traditional German houses. The financial center of Frankfurt am Main is bustling and bustling, typical of modern cities. And the narrow medieval streets away from it are full of the atmosphere of old Germany. Let’s take a look at where the most important sights of Frankfurt are located and why they are worth seeing.
Remerberg Market Square and Roemer Town Hall
Remerberg Square in the historic center of Frankfurt is named after the old Roemer Town Hall located there.
Frankfurt City Hall is a complex of 3 separate buildings with an original stepped pediment and facade decorated with statues of the emperors Charles IV, Friedrich Barbarossa, Ludwig II and Maximilian II. In 1405, the city council bought these houses from rich burghers, then redeveloped them for their own purposes. One of the buildings was known in the city as the “Roemer House”, so the town hall was called” Roemer”, and the nearby square – “Remerberg”.
For several centuries, German emperors were crowned in the town Hall and feasts were held on this occasion, and folk festivals and fairs were organized in the square. Now the mayor still works in the town hall and important decisions are made for the city.
And Remerberg Square is a popular modern tourist destination. They go there to see not only the town hall, but also other attractions. For example, the picturesque half-timbered houses of the XIV-XV centuries standing around, many of which even have their own names: “Golden Vulture”, “Small Badger Hole”,”Big Angel”.
Another attraction of Remerberg Square is the octagonal fountain “Justice” with 4 nymphs at the base. In the center of the composition is a bronze figure of the goddess of Justice, and here the goddess is without a blindfold.
- The Roemer Town Hall is located at Romerberg 23, 60311 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Historical Museum
The Frankfurt am Main Historical Museum is a large 12th-century palace complex known as the Saalhof. The complex of 5 historical buildings was supplemented with another modern building in 2017.
The museum’s exposition introduces you to the history and culture of Frankfurt from the time the Saalhofkapelle was built in 1120 to the present day.
Among the exhibits there are works of art, documents, models. Be sure to see the main attraction: an ensemble of 3 models of Frankfurt, created by the Truner brothers. The largest model shows the center of the city during the Middle Ages, the other two-after its destruction by bombing in World War II, as well as after its restoration.
- The museum is located in the historical part of the city, between the Roemer Town Hall and the main embankment. Exact address: Saalhof 1, 60311 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
- Сайт: ww.historisches-museum-frankfurt.de
- Opening hours: Monday closed, all other days from 11: 00 to 18: 00.
- Admission is free on the last Saturday of each month. On other days, all visitors over the age of 18 need a ticket to see the museum’s attractions. Admission to permanent exhibitions is 8 €, to temporary exhibitions-10 €, to all exhibitions-12 €. In addition, there are various ticket options for groups and excursions, current prices are indicated on the website.
St. Bartholomew’s Imperial Cathedral
In all tourist signs around Frankfurt, this landmark is marked simply as “Frankfurt Cathedral”. Throughout its existence, it was a Kaiserland, not a cathedral of the bishopric. The” cathedral ” status of the church was never given, but its correct name is the Imperial Cathedral of St. Bartholomew.
The original version of the temple existed since 1356. Modern pompous building – not the original. In 1944, the building was almost completely destroyed by bombing. Based on the surviving drawings and photos, it was restored in its original form, even a 95-meter tower with a viewing terrace on top was rebuilt.
It is interesting to see rich interiors: altars, statues, stained glass windows of various eras. The church has artistic attractions: Van Dyck’s work “Lamentation of Christ” and unique Gothic frescoes dedicated to the Mother of God.
The most valuable relic kept by religious ministers is a part of the skull of the Apostle Bartholomew.
- The cathedral is located near Remerberg Square, address: Domplatz 1, 60311 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
- Opening hours: Friday from 13: 00 to 20: 00, on all other days of the week from 9: 00 to 20: 00.
Shirn Kunsthalle Art Gallery
In 1986, the Schirn Kunsthalle was added to the list of attractions in Frankfurt am Main. It was opened in a 5-storey building 140 meters long and 10 meters wide. The small initial area for construction set such dimensions of the building and became the reason that its eastern end is connected to the southern portal of the bell tower of St. Bartholomew’s Cathedral. The area of Frankfurt between the Old Town and the river Main, where the gallery was built, was called “Schirn” – from there it got its name.
The Schirn Kunsthalle has a significant difference from similar museums: it does not have its own fund, only temporary exhibitions of various types are held in the halls. Nevertheless, it is recognized as one of the most prestigious exhibition venues in Europe: more than 250 exhibitions were held there during its existence, and 10 million people came to see them.
The exhibition “Goethe and Art”, held in 1994, turned out to be the most scandalous. Then three paintings were stolen from the gallery: William Turner’s paintings “Light and Color” and “Shadow in the Dark” belonging to the Tate Gallery in London, as well as an oil painting “Misty Breath” by Kaspar David Friedrich provided by the Hamburg Museum of Art. The total amount of insurance for these works was almost 36 million euros. In 1999, the criminals were caught, and the paintings were returned to the galleries.
- Address of the attraction: Romerberg, 60311 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
- Website: www.schirn.de
- Opening hours: Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday – from 10: 00 to 19: 00, Wednesday and Thursday – from 10: 00 to 22: 00, Monday closed.
- Children under 8 years old are allowed to enter the gallery free of charge. Prices for entrance tickets for other categories of visitors depend on the exhibition.
Goethe House-Museum
The house in which Johann Wolfgang Goethe was born is located on Grosser-Hirschgraben Street. The writer lived there until 1775, when he went to Weimar at the invitation of Prince Karl August of Saxony. In his parents ‘home, Goethe wrote his early works, which instantly brought him worldwide fame: “Goetz von Berlichingen”, “The Sufferings of young Werther”, some excerpts of “Faust”.
The Goethe family home was restored in 1951, after the original building was destroyed in 1944. The interior decoration and furniture are real, as they were taken out in advance at the beginning of the war.
- Address of the attraction: Groser Hirschgraben 23-25, 60311 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
- Сайт: https://frankfurter-goethe-haus.de
- Opening hours: every day from 10: 00 to 18: 00, and on Thursday until 21: 00. On some holidays, opening hours may change, so it is advisable to check the schedule on the website before visiting.
- The ticket costs € 10, but there are discounts for some categories of visitors. Admission is free for children under 6 years of age.
Iron Bridge
The Eiserner Pedestrian Bridge, better known as the Iron Bridge, was built in 1868. Its main purpose was to connect the center of Frankfurt-Remerberg – with the southern district of Sachsenhausen on the other side of the river Main.
Like many of the sights of Frankfurt am Main, the current bridge is not original – it is a reconstruction of the old bridge, destroyed in 1945.
Residents of the city made the Iron Bridge a kind of symbol of love: its railings are hung with whole bunches of wedding locks. Guides say that seeing the pedestrian Bridge of love in Frankfurt and walking along it is a mandatory part of the tourist program. Finding this landmark is easy – it is located near the Remerberg district.
Old Opera House
The opening of the famous Old Opera took place in 1880, and Kaiser Wilhelm I himself participated in this event.
The Old Opera House is characterized by the architectural style typical of all European opera houses of those times: neo-Renaissance with a pediment similar to Greek porticos, as well as with a large number of sculptures on the roof.
The historic structure was destroyed during the Second World War. For almost 40 years, the Germans could not decide whether to restore it, but still the residents of Frankfurt am Main made a positive decision.
In 1981, the Old Opera House again became an important part of the city’s cultural life. The facade, all the exterior decoration and the hall remained in its original form, everything else acquired more modern features. About 450 performances are held annually in two halls: famous soloists and musical groups, as well as jazz, rock and pop groups perform.
- Address of the cultural attraction: Opernpl. 1, 60313 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
- Website: www.alteoper.de
- The schedule of all upcoming events and ticket information can be viewed on the official website.
Frankfurt Zoo
The Frankfurt Zoo occupies 13 hectares almost in the city center and is the largest zoo in the country. On its territory, more than 4,500 representatives of the world’s fauna belonging to 400 species are kept in natural conditions.
- Address of the attraction: Bernhard-Grzimek-Allee 1, 60316 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
- Website: www.zoo-frankfurt.de
- You can view animals at the zoo at the following times: in April-October from 9: 00 to 19: 00, in November-March from 9: 00 to 17: 00.
- Ticket prices: adult – 13€, youth 6-18 years and students – 6 €. Admission is free for children under 5 years of age.
Bethmann Park
The garden’s name comes from the German banker Johann Philipp Bethmann, who founded it in 1783. In 1941, the park became the property of Frankfurt and a little later was even included in the register of city monuments.
The park has a wide variety of ornamental plants: lush and colorful flowers, perennial shrubs, trees.
A special attraction of Bethmann Park is the Chinese “Garden of Heavenly Peace”, created in 1990 according to the principles of Feng Shui. The entrance is guarded by statues of Chinese lions, and the fenced area has a beautiful pagoda, a lotus pond and an openwork Jade Bridge spanning it.
- Bethmann Park is located near the city center, exact address: Friedberger Landstrasse 8, 60316 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
- You can visit the park and see its picturesque landscapes on any day of the week from 7: 00 to 21: 00.
Palm Tree Garden
This botanical garden in Frankfurt was opened to the public in 1871 on the initiative of landscape designer Heinrich Zismayer. In 1890, the famous Buffalo Bill, an American soldier, entrepreneur, showman and buffalo hunter, held his Wild West show on the territory of the garden.
Now the Palm Garden is a series of themed zones and indoor pavilions where visitors can view plants from different countries and continents. The Bluetenhaus pavilion houses both warm and cold climates, so camellias, azaleas, and orchids grow there. One of the closed pavilions is home to more than 10 species of butterflies, and a special aquarium is equipped to explore the underwater world. Incredibly huge Tropicarium-a place where no less huge palm trees grow. The cactus garden is full of American, African and Canary succulents. The Subantarctic zone introduces a sparse, but incredibly bright vegetation. There are also flowers in the garden, for example, dozens of varieties of roses grow in the rose garden.
The palm tree garden is very well designed in terms of relaxing with children. There are well-equipped playgrounds – traditional and water, many comfortable benches are installed, a miniature railway works, and you can rent a boat to walk on the lake.
Every year in March, the Botanical Garden of Frankfurt hosts the international exhibition-sale Mein Garten, in addition, thematic exhibitions are periodically held.
- Place of interest: Palmengarten der Stadt, Siesmayerstrasse 61-63, 60323 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
- You can enter the Palm Garden from Siesmayerstrasse and Palmengartenstrasse, and on weekends also Zeppelinallee.
- Website: www.palmengarten.de
- You can visit the garden and see its landscapes every day at the following times: from March to October from 9: 00 to 19: 00, from November to February from 9: 00 to 16: 00.
- Ticket price: adult 7 €, children 6-13 years – 2€, youth 14-17 years-3€, seniors 65+ years-6 €.
Liebighaus Museum
Textile magnate Baron von Liebig built the luxury villa Liebighaus in the last years of the nineteenth century, and a few decades later it was bought by the Frankfurt City Council specifically for the municipal Sculpture Museum.
Now Liebighaus has a collection of more than 5,000 sculptures from all eras – from Ancient Egypt to neoclassicism. Among the museum’s attractions are the Discus Thrower of ancient Greek times, Romanesque heads, a marble statue of Athena, and even parts of Gothic tombs.
From time to time, Libighaus hosts personal and thematic demonstrations of works by contemporary authors.
- The villa is located at Schaumainkai 71, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
- Website: www.liebieghaus.de
- Opening hours: Tuesday and Wednesday from 12: 00 to 18: 00, Thursday from 10: 00 to 21: 00, Friday to Sunday from 10: 00 to 18: 00, Monday closed.
- A ticket for adults costs 12 €, for schoolchildren and students the price is 10 €. Admission is free for children under 12 years of age.
Shtedel Art Institute
The Frankfurt Art Institute is named after the banker who founded it, Johan Stedel. This is a double attraction: an art school and an art museum with a rich selection of works by world classics.
In total, the museum’s collection includes 600 statues, about 100,000 copies of graphics, as well as more than 3,000 paintings, 600 of which are placed in the current exhibition.
- Location: Schaumainkai 63, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
- Website: www.staedelmuseum.de
- The institute is closed on Mondays. On Thursday, you can view museum exhibits from 10: 00 to 21: 00, on all other days from 10: 00 to 18: 00.
- Children under 12 do not need a ticket. An adult ticket costs € 18 on Saturday and Sunday, and €16 on other business days.
Senckenberg Museum of Natural History
On the outskirts of Frankfurt is the Senckenberg Museum, named after the physician and philanthropist Johann Senckenberg.
This is one of the most famous sights of Frankfurt am Main, which is recommended for all visitors to the city. A large-scale educational and research organization simultaneously shows visitors an exhibition that tells about the appearance and development of life on Earth.
The spacious museum space houses Europe’s largest collection of dinosaur skeletons. The collection of insects includes several thousand of their representatives, and the exposition of birds contains almost 2000 stuffed birds from different parts of the world. In one of the halls, you can view fossils from the geological era of the Eocene: there are stones from the Messel coal pit with imprints of the contours of long-disappeared prehistoric plants, insects, amphibians, birds and mammals. In addition, the museum has an extensive selection of crystals and meteorites.
Every year, about 500,000 people come to see the exhibits of the Senckenberg Museum. Excursions are conducted there almost daily, and the schedule of current programs is always available on the official website.
- The attraction is located at: Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
- Сайт: https://museumfrankfurt.senckenberg.de
- Opening hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday – from 9: 00 to 17: 00; Wednesday – from 9: 00 to 20: 00; Saturday, Sunday and public holidays – from 9: 00 to 18: 00.
- For adults, a ticket to the Natural History Museum costs €15. Excursions for schoolchildren and students are completely free if you have a student or student ID card.
Conclusion
We have briefly told you about the most significant and interesting sights of Frankfurt. Based on the photo and description, you can create an excursion route that will be interesting to you personally. Enjoy your trip!
Where to Go from Munich in 1 Day: 20 Amazing Destinations
