Things to do in Frankfurt

Frankfurt is a city of contrasts. It boasts some of the highest, avant-garde skyscrapers in Europe as well as traditional, well-maintained old buildings. There are many museums and theatres as well as a world-class opera. Every year, millions of tourists visit the attractions in the downtown area and the museums at the River Main. Meanwhile, some of the surrounding areas, such as Bockenheim, Bornheim and Nordend, have escaped tourist attention, despite their beautiful 19th century streets and parks.

Archaeological Gardens

The Archaeological Gardens can be found between the City Hall and the Cathedral. There are various excavations including part of a Roman settlement, a Roman sauna and the foundations of a Carolingian chapel. The findings are the oldest traces of Frankfurt and were uncovered in 1953.

Carmelite Monastery

The building of the Carmelite Monastery dates back to 1246, with the first hall consecrated in 1270, followed by a rectangular presbytery in 1290. Donations allowed the presbytery to be enlarged in 1430, with the refectory and the cloister being added shortly after. During the period of secularisation, the monastery was also used as a fire station, repository and military hospital. The Carmelite chapel and its nearby annexe are now home to the Museum of Archaeology, while the old sections of the monastery house are occupied by the Institute of City History.

Frankfurt Cathedral

Frankfurt Cathedral was originally a Carolingian chapel and has never been an episcopal church in the true sense. The monastery received the honorary title of ‘cathedral’ following the relocation of the coronation ceremonies for Holy Roman kings from Aachen to Frankfurt in 1562. It was damaged badly by fire in 1867, and reconstructed in neo-Gothic style under the direction of Franz Josef Denzinger. It was then damaged again by air raids during WWII and the construction took another three years to complete.

Botanical Gardens (Palmengarten)

These well-known botanical gardens, or Palmengarten as they are known locally, were founded by a group of Frankfurt citizens in 1868. They were originally established after the purchase of the Duke of Nassau’s tropical-plant collection. A special greenhouse was then erected that allowed visitors to stroll through the jungle-like environment.

City walls

Although the old city walls are no longer standing, they have been replaced by an attractive three-mile long green strip, which forms a semi-circle around the Old Town. The narrow parkland was landscaped in the early 19th century and follows the former path of the mediaeval city walls. It has been lined with trees, fountains, memorials and modern sculptures including works by Goethe and his colleague, Schiller.

Stdelsches Kunstinstitut

Founded in the early 19th century, the Städelsches Kunstinstitut ranks as one of the most comprehensive art galleries in Europe. Unlike the royal galleries of Munich and Berlin, it was set up by a local banker as an art college, with old masters teaching the eager students. One of the highlights of the gallery is its collection of paintings from the early Netherlandish School, and in particular, Jan van Eyck's ‘Lucca Madonna’.

Goethehaus

This is the former home of renowned writer, Johann Wolfgang Goethe. The interior has been immaculately restored to look as it did when he lived here, and the well-stocked library has some autographed examples of his writings. The rooms are decorated with a mixture of reproduction and original furniture, and Goethe's original writing desk can be found on the top floor.

Old Opera House (Alte Oper)

The Old Opera House was built at the height of the Renaissance period in 1872. It was designed by the Berlin architect, Richard Lucae, and was influenced by the buildings of Gottfried Semper in Berlin and Dresden. It was totally destroyed during the bombings of 1944 and lay in ruins for many years. It finally reopened after considerable reconstruction in 1981. The opera house now serves as both a concert venue and congress centre.

Romer

This has been the symbol of Frankfurt for more than 550 years, and is one of the most popular sights in the city. The square contains a number of rebuilt 15th to 18th century houses that were used by German emperors to celebrate their elections with large banquets. Following the rebuilding after WWII; today, the Romer is used for festive occasions by the city and the Mayor of Frankfurt.

Museums
Despite Frankfurt’s reputation as a financial centre, the city also has an impressive cultural and artistic side. Many of its museums are clustered on the south bank of the River Main, in a district called Museumsufer. The two-day Museumsufer Ticket allows access to 25 of Frankfurt's museums.

The Staedel Art Museum has a world-class collection of paintings, ranging from Boticelli to Vemeer. It also has many paintings by local artist, Hans Holbein. The Historical Museum portrays an interesting view into life in Frankfurt in the Middle Ages. There is an interesting scale model of the city centre as it used to be. The Museum of Modern Art is the latest attraction in the area, and exhibits modern paintings and sculptures by famous European and American artists such as Andy Warhol, Carl Andre, Donald Judd and Walter De Maria.

The German Architecture Museum was built as a pair of semi-detached houses by renowned architect Oswald Mathias Ungers. It offers an interesting look at the past and the present local architecture and urban development. Finally, the German Film Museum offers a unique insight into all aspects of film, with permanent and temporary exhibitions, a video library and a special bookshop.