According to allcitycodes.com, Frankfurt is often referred to as the German New York: there are much more skyscrapers, business centers and other ultra-modern buildings here than old sights. The latter remained only in the historical center: the city was almost completely destroyed during the war and, despite the efforts of German restorers, can hardly be considered a pearl of European architecture. But all the more interesting: the contrast between the Banks Quarter and the half-timbered houses of Altstadt fascinates and is remembered.

You can find out what Frankfurt was like several centuries ago on Römer Square. It was here that the German Kaisers were once crowned and the most magnificent festivities in the city were held. The main decoration of the square is the town hall, which has been a symbol of Frankfurt for 600 years. Nearby are Gothic buildings of the 14th-15th centuries, and in the center is the Fountain of Justice with a statue of the goddess Justice.

The spectacular building with a gingerbread facade and stepped roofs actually consists of three parts: the town hall itself, the treasury and the registry office.

A similar mood reigns in the Alt-Sachsenhausen area: charming Saxon villas, flea markets, colorful taverns – everything here resembles a cozy German province. There is only one difference: the incredible number of expositions opened on the Museum Embankment was never dreamed of by any provincial town.

The most luxurious building in Frankfurt is the Old Opera House, which looks more like a pompous palace than an ordinary concert hall. Its opening took place in 1880 in the presence of Wilhelm II himself. Such an honor was not in vain: a magnificent neo-Renaissance building with a double pediment and sculptures on the roof could hardly have been left without the attention of the Kaiser. The Second World War turned the Old Opera into ruins, but in 1981 the building was finally restored.

No less popular with tourists is the Guardhouse built in 1730, or rather, Hauptwache Square, where it is located. This is the personification of all modern Frankfurt: surrounded by skyscrapers made of glass and concrete, it is as if a fragment of a bygone era is frozen in time.

The baroque guard building now houses a cafe with an elegant veranda, and below, underground, there is a pedestrian zone with many shops.

The most picturesque place in the city is the Palm Garden, fragrant, it seems, with the aromas of all the plants of the world. Walking along it is a small round-the-world trip: tropical greenhouses are adjacent to alpine slides, bamboo thickets are adjacent to cactus plantations.

The main Catholic shrine is Frankfurt Cathedral, officially called the Imperial Cathedral of St. Bartholomew. Its construction began in the 13th century, and the restored early Gothic building with a dark red facade and a 95-meter tower is almost an exact copy of the original. The interior decoration is whimsical frescoes, bas-reliefs, sculptures and stained-glass windows. The relics of the Apostle Bartholomew, the patron saint of the temple, are also kept here.

The old opera house is the most beautiful building in the city.

The Church of St. Justin is one of the oldest in Germany: it was built in 850 and during its existence it combined elements of different styles and eras in its decor. But St. Paul ‘s Church, although it was once the center of local Lutheranism, today it has lost its religious functions. But it has turned into a cultural center: in the “House of All Germans”, which has become a monument of national importance, important public events are held, including the ceremony of awarding the Peace Prize of German Booksellers.

Modern architecture in Frankfurt

The skyscrapers of the Banks Quarter are the face of modern Frankfurt. As befits business giants, they compete for leadership in different areas. The Commerzbank Tower is the highest (259 m) and environmentally friendly, built in accordance with all the rules of nature protection. The Eurotower is the most famous: in front of the headquarters of the European Central Bank, the blue EUR symbol flaunts. Maintower is the most popular: the only official observation deck is located here.

It is safe to admire Frankfurt in the open air, at an altitude of 200 m, only in clear, calm weather. On cloudy days, most likely, you will have to be content with the views from the panoramic restaurant.

Museums

Frankfurt is the perfect city for museum lovers. For example, the Museum of German Cinematography introduces visitors to the history of cinema. It all started with the praxinoscope, an optical instrument invented by Emile Reynaud to show moving drawings. Then there was the kinetoscope of Thomas Edison and, finally, the cinema of the Lumiere brothers. After studying the theory, you can move on to practice: watch old films on the second floor.

The Museum of German Architecture contains drawings and models of Erich Mendelssohn, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and other recognized masters. And the exhibits of the exhibition “From the hut to the skyscraper” allow you to clearly trace the evolution of construction in Germany.

The Museum of Applied Arts is a collection of artifacts from various eras from Europe and Asia: books, design objects, art craft items.

Art erases the boundaries of time: Persian carpets of the 9th century coexist in museum halls with works of modern digital graphics.

The Icon Museum was created thanks to the efforts of Dr. Jörgen Schmidt-Voigt, who donated more than 800 icons of the 16th-19th centuries to the city. And the Regional Art Gallery presents all types of fine arts: painting, graphics, photography, sculpture, architecture and applied crafts.

• Where exhibitions take place in Frankfurt