Frankfurt German

What to do in Frankfurt German

Alte Oper (Old Opera House)

This historic opera house was gutted during World War II and remained empty for 40 years. Today the exterior and the lobby are true to the original, while the rest of the building has been reconstructed as a modern, multi-purpose hall. Though it's no longer used for opera, visitors can attend pop and classical concerts and dance performances.

Börse (Stock Exchange)

Founded in 1585, this is now the center of Germany's stock and money market. The building dates from the 1870s, and a visitor's gallery allows tourists to watch the action.

Eiserner Steg (Iron Bridge)

This iron bridge was the first suspension bridge in all of Europe. The pedestrian walkway connects the city center with Sachsenhausen.

Goethehaus und Goethemuseum (Goethe's House and Museum) Goethe's house, where Germany's most famous poet was born in 1749, is furnished with original pieces that belonged to the family and manuscripts in his own hand. The adjoining museum contains works of art that inspired the poet-who was also an amateur painter.

Historisches Museum (Historical Museum)

This museum contains aspects of the city's history from the past eight centuries, including a scale model of historic Frankfurt, an impressive silver display, and a children's museum.

Jüdisches Museum (Jewish Museum)

This museum contains extensive archives of Frankfurt'sJewish history and culture, including a library of 5,000 books, a large photographic collection, and a documentation center. A branch of the museum is built around the foundations of 18th-century buildings in what once was the jewish ghetto.

Kaiserdom

This is where the Holy Roman emperors were chosen and crowned from the 16th to the 18th centuries. Today it features original Gothic carvings including a life-size crucifixion group and the 15th-century Altar of Mary Sleeping. An almost 300-foot red sandstone tower was added between 1415 and 1514.

Messegelände (Fairgrounds)

Also called the congress center, this huge complex hosts Europe's trade fairs, congresses, conferences, and seminars. Some of the international trade fairs showcase the latest books, cars, fashion, medical technology, and consumer goods. There are also automobile shows, fur fairs, and international book fairs.

Palmengarten und Botanischer Garden (Tropical Garden and Botanical Garden) The Tropical Garden, with its many tropical and semitropical greenhouses, features a vibrant assortment of flora. The Botanical Garden has an impressive display of wild, ornamental, and rare plants from around the world, including a 2.5-acre rock garden. A surrounding park offers recreational facilities, including a lake, rowboat rentals, a playground, and a wading pool.

Nikolaikirche (St. Nicholas Church)

This small, red sandstone church was built in the 13th century as the court chapel for emperors of the Holy Roman Empire. Here, the chimes of the carillon ring out three times a day.

Römer (City Hall)

The city hall is made up of three individual patrician buildings, called the Alt-Limpurg, the Zum Römer, and the Löwenstein. The gabled Gothic façade with its ornate balcony is known as the city's official emblem. Visitors can see the full-length, 19th-century portraits of the 52 Holy Roman Emperors, which line the walls of the banquet hall.

Römerberg

North of the Main River, this square was restored after war-time bomb damage and is now the historical focal point of the city. The Römer, the Nikolaikirche, the Historiches Museum, and the half-timber Ostzeile houses are all found here. The 16th-century Fountain of Justitia (Justice) stands in the square's center.

Staufenmauer (Staufen Wall)

This is one of the few remaining sections of the old city's fortifications. It dates from the 12th century.

Zoologischer Garten (Zoo)

Founded in 1858, many of the animals in this zoo live in a natural environment. The remarkable collection includes 5,000 animals of 600 different species. There is a bear's castle, an exotarium, an aviary, and a restaurant and café.

Kuhhirtenturm (Shepherd's Tower)

This is the last of nine towers that were built in the 15th century to form part of Sachsenhausen's fortifications.

Shopping

Frankfurt offers everything a shopper could ask for. The "Golden Mile" has department stores, clothing shops, shoe stores, and furniture outlets. Nearby is the Kleinmarkthalle, a covered market with international groceries. The Hauptwache has shopping areas above and below ground, with groceries, book dealers, flowers, clothing, tobacco, photo supplies, recordings, and sporting equipment. Schillerstrasse features elegant boutiques and specialty shops.