Römerberg Square
Römerberg Square is where all the trails in Frankfurt lead. The locals simply called her Roemer. The square received its name in honor of the 600-year-old Römer Town Hall, whose name translates as Roman. It is its stepped pediment, decorated with statues of Emperors Charles IV, Frederick Barbarossa, Ludwig II and Maximillian II, that is found on magnets, postcards and souvenir plates.
In addition to the town hall, a huge number of historically and culturally important points are concentrated here. For example, the 13th century Frankfurt Cathedral, where the Holy Roman Emperors were once crowned. Also here you can see houses from the 14th and 15th centuries with fancy names, for example, “Little Badger Hole”, “Big Angel” and “Golden Vulture”. Like the town hall, the cathedral and all the houses were meticulously restored after the war.
Shtädel Art Institute
The Städel Art Institute is the best option for art lovers to visit in Frankfurt am Main. It is in this museum that the largest and most valuable collection of graphics, sculptures and paintings in the country is located. Thanks to this fact, the object is included in all lists of the main attractions in Germany.
The institute received its name in honor of I. Städel, its founder and famous banker. The building houses not only an art museum, but also an art school.
Frankfurt Cathedral
Frankfurt Cathedral or Imperial St. Bartholomew’s Cathedral is located near Römerberg Square. The giant Gothic building with its red facade and 95-meter tower is hard to miss. It was here that German kings were chosen and crowned since 1356. Frankfurt Cathedral is a national symbol due to its historical and political importance.
Considering all these facts, Frankfurt Cathedral can be called the main shrine of the city.
Museum Embankment
This is where the soul of persistent connoisseurs of the cultural program really plays out. After all, 39 museums and exhibition venues of different sizes and directions are concentrated here.
Among them are the Archaeological Museum, the Caricature Museum, the Museum of Romance, the German Film Museum, the Eintracht Museum, the Goethe House Museum, the Historical Museum and many others (we will talk about some of them in more detail). The complex is constantly expanding and adding new institutions.
There is also a promenade in the Alt-Sachsenhausen district, famous for its bars and restaurants serving unusual apple wine.
Goethe House and Museum
Two adjacent museums are dedicated here to the great poet of all times, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
Goethe’s First House is the place where he was born on August 28, 1749 and spent his childhood and youth. The cult novel “The Sorrows of Young Werther” was created here, as well as the first sketches for the poem “Faust”.
Another building is the Goethe Museum, an art gallery with a large collection of paintings, graphics, busts of the 18th and 19th centuries. Thanks to the art of Goethe’s time, you are immersed in the world of the writer, who was also an amateur artist, art connoisseur and collector.
Old opera
The Old Opera is a former opera house that now houses a concert hall and a congress center. About 460 events are held here every year – music concerts of various genres, entertainment and educational programs for children and adults, conferences and seminars.
Construction of the opera lasted from 1873 to 1880. In 1937, it was on the stage of this theater that the world-famous cantata Carmina Burana by the German composer Carl Orff was first performed. During World War II the building was heavily damaged. The restoration took almost 40 years – the opening of the renovated theater took place in 1981.
The decoration of the building is amazing both outside and inside, so we recommend visiting this place to everyone, even those who do not consider themselves an outspoken opera connoisseur.
Palm Garden
If after a busy program in a big city you want to hide from its bustle for a while, feel free to go to the Palm Garden. This is a luxurious botanical garden built in 1871 with an area of more than 20 hectares and one of the largest park areas in the country. Almost half of the garden’s territory is reserved for all kinds of palm trees – spreading and bizarre, exotic and completely unique – they gave the name to the garden.
Maintower
The Maintauer is the fourth tallest skyscraper in Frankfurt and Germany. It received its name in honor of the Main River. From the outside, the building looks like two connected towers – rectangular and round. In the foyer, visitors are greeted by a video installation and wall mosaics. There is a place on the roof of a skyscraper from where you can see the entire city. This is the highest observation deck in Frankfurt (200 meters). The panorama looks especially impressive after sunset.
Just imagine that on the 53rd floor of the tower there is a restaurant, from where you can enjoy a picture of the city accompanied by haute cuisine.
Senckenberg Museum
To get to this museum you will have to make a little effort, because it is located in the suburbs. But believe me, it’s worth it.
Currently, this complex is one of the largest educational and research institutions of this level, which offers a unique exhibition dedicated to the development of flora and fauna on Earth. Every year, about 500,000 people come on excursions to the halls of the Senckenberg Museum of Natural History – the collection of this complex is considered one of the best in the world and the most complete in Germany.
Hauptwache Square
Another famous square in the city. The main architectural masterpiece of the Hauptwache is the Baroque house, which primarily serves as the headquarters for the policemen. When you arrive at this square, you can explore the shops and restaurants, the underground pedestrian area and the sunken terrace. Among the local attractions we also highlight the Church of St. Catherine.
Market Kleinmarkthalle
If you are one of those tourists who, having arrived in a new country, are never going to take all their money back, go to the Kleinmarkthalle. This indoor market in the city center has over 150 stalls.
Every day, except Sunday, you can buy fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs, meat and seafood, as well as finished products – desserts, pastries, sausages, cheeses and the famous Frankfurt green sauce. The Kleinmarkthalle has outlets selling Turkish, Spanish and Italian cuisine. This is a great place to have lunch in between exploring the city.
Hessian Park
The Open Air Museum, which is located near the city and can introduce you to the traditions and culture of Frankfurt and the entire region, deserves special attention. The vast area of the Hessian Park contains more than a hundred buildings that give the impression of being in an authentic German village. There is a store with craft products and a post office. You can enter all buildings and pick up all household items.
Due to the fact that the attraction is not the most famous and is located far from the city, the number of guests here is usually relatively small. Crowds of tourists and vacationers will not interfere with your walk.
Bethman Park
A real green oasis is a grandiose park at the mansion of the famous German Bethmann dynasty. The park is separated from the noise of the metropolis by thick ancient walls. The city was given a beautifully equipped park by the famous Bethman dynasty of bankers.
The main attraction of Bethman Park is the chess court. This is a special area for chess players, where the playing field is placed on the asphalt with marked squares and figures. You can often meet local intellectuals here.
The Chinese garden, the highlight of Bethmann Park, will not go unnoticed. It is organized according to the principles of Feng Shui. In the central part of the garden there is a pagoda – a favorite plant from which people love to brew aromatic and healthy tea. The city also inherited a luxurious mansion in Bethman Park, which harmoniously fits into the beauty of nature.
Gallery Schirn Kunsthalle
The Schirn Kunsthalle is an art gallery located in the Altstadt district between the town hall and Frankfurt Cathedral. Its opening took place in 1986.
There are no permanent exhibitions here – only temporary exhibitions are available to visitors. However, the gallery presents both the works of classics and contemporary artists, and hosts seminars, master classes and various events. The gallery can be considered as an alternative to all the classic museums of the city, if you have already visited them.
Frankfurt Museum of Modern Art
The museum was designed in 1981 by the Viennese architect Hans Gollein. Because of its triangular shape, it is called a “piece of pie.”
The basis of the museum is the legacy of the German collector Karl Strecher, containing 65 works of pop art and minimalism. Today, the permanent collection includes more than 4,500 works of international art, dating from the 1960s to the present day.