Frankfurt Tourism & Travel Guide - Places to see in Frankfurt

Frankfurt Tour & Travel Guide - Places to See in Frankfurt

Goethe House and Museum

Frankfurt is the birthplace of the famed German writer- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. His home is open to visitors and there’s a museum situated right next to the main house with a collection of his works. The family music room, library, living room and Goethe’s own puppet show are the main attractions in the house. The museum houses German paintings and sculpture from the late Baroque period.

Museum of Modern Art

The museum has been nicknamed ‘slice of cake’ by city residents, owing to its triangular structure. The building was designed by Viennese architect Hans Hollein to resemble a boat. A collection of post-war art with paintings of Roy Lichtenstein, Claes Oldenburg, Andy Warhol and Joseph Beuys is housed here.

Palm Garden

A beautiful botanical garden with unique tropical plants in glasshouses and exotic birds, the Palm Garden is a great place to explore the varieties of flora and fauna and spend a warm afternoon. The conservatories include the the Tropicarium, the Sub Antarctic House and the Entrance Conservatory. Insectivorous plants and bromeliads are displayed in one, and plants from Chile, Argentina and New Zealand are displayed in another. Vegetation from different kinds of climates is displayed here along with interesting rock and water formations.

The Dom

The Dom is actually the church of St. Bartholomew, and was built between the 13th and 15th century. The Maria-Schlaf-Altar altar and a sculpture by Hans Backoffen portraying a scene from the crucifixion are its most visited attractions. The main cathedral is built in Gothic style architecture. From 1562 to 1792, emperors of the Holy Roman Empire were crowned in the cathedral.

Imperial Cathedral

St. Bartholomew’s Cathedral is an important landmark in Frankfurt and visible from miles around. A beautiful structure built in Gothic style architecture, it is one of the oldest buildings in Frankfurt, with many coronations having taken place here over the years.

Saal Lane

Narrow townhouses built in the postmodern style stand along Saal Lane (Saalgasse), which runs between the History Museum and the Weckmarkt. No two are alike, since this is where many well-known architects have realised their visions and concepts. The buildings create a vital, colourful contrast to the clear and linear construction of the Schirn Art Gallery (Schirn Kunsthalle), which rises up in the arcades in the back.

Römerberg

The Römerberg is a busy, bustling square north of the Main River, and the old centre of Frankfurt. The Römer, the Nikolaikirche, and the half-timber Ostzeile houses are all found here. The 16th-century Fountain of Justitia (Justice), which flows with wine on special occasions, stands in the centre of the Römerberg. The Römer is the old town hall and an architectural delight. The city’s government has been located here since the 15th century, and it gave its name to the square. For hundreds of years, this square has been the site of markets and fairs, tournaments and festivals, executions and imperial elections and coronations. Quaint frame houses line one side of the square, and many buildings and a church from the 14th century are also situated here. The remains of the Roman settlements can be found in this square as well. Many cafes and shops line this area and promise an interesting afternoon of watching life go by.

St. Paul’s Church

Also known as Paulskirche, this was the seat of the first democratically elected parliament in Germany in 1848. It was destroyed during World War II and reconstructed later, and is now used as a memorial site and an event centre. The elliptical central building made from red sandstone was Frankfurt’s largest and most modern hall. The permanent exhibition, “St. Paul’s Church Symbol of Democratic Freedom and National Unity,” shows the development of Germany unity and democracy in its various stages.

Old Opera House

Also called Alte Oper, this opera house was originally opened in 1880 and consequently destroyed in the war. After reconstruction, it is now used for concerts and many other major events in the city. It is one of Frankfurt’s most renowned heritage buildings, and has a bustling square in front of it with a fountain.

Jewish Museum

Also known as the Jüdisches Museum, it tells the story of Frankfurt’s Jewish quarter prior to the Holocaust. The museum contains a library of 5,000 books, a large photographic collection, and a documentation centre. One branch of the Jewish museum is built around the foundations of mostly 18th-century buildings, which once made up the Jewish quarter.