Frankfurt am Main is the only German city to be considered a "global" or alpha city. It is truly the largest commercial, administrative and tourist center, which merges the historical past and the current present. There are areas of modern skyscrapers, and historic cathedrals, huge shopping centers and museums in old buildings.
Frankfurt am Main is considered one of the warmest cities in Germany. In summer it is warm, but not hot, in winter the temperature during the day is usually a couple of degrees above zero, and snow falls only in January and then for several days. It is impossible to say when is the best time to come here, because festivals, major international exhibitions and other events take place here all the time. But, probably, this city is most beautiful before Christmas during the Christmas market.
Districts of Frankfurt am Main
Officially, the city is divided into 46 districts and 118 districts. But tourists are primarily interested in the city center and areas adjacent to it, in which there are some sights. So the following can be highlighted:
- Old town Altstadt;
- Bahnhofsviertel;
- Westen-Nord;
- Brockenviertel;
- Sachsenhausen;
- Banks and Frankfurt Fair.
Altstadt
The historic city center was badly damaged during the Second World War. But many buildings have survived, and most of the bomb-damaged buildings in the old city have been rebuilt. For example, the most luxurious hotel in the city, the five-star Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof, occupies a building from 1876.
The main attraction and the most magnificent building is the Cathedral of St. Bartholomew. This is a classic huge European cathedral, which began to be built in the 13th century and since then has been rebuilt, renovated and updated many times, and after the war it was rebuilt from photographs and drawings almost from scratch. At the top of its 95-meter tower, there is an observation deck from which you can see the whole city. In the interior of the temple, both historical values, for example, paintings by Van Eyck, and modern works coexist. A common Christian relic is kept here, revered by the Orthodox as well - part of the relics of St. Apostle Bartholomew.
The second symbol of Frankfurt, which also had to be rebuilt from ruins after the war, is the Opera building, built in the neo-Renaissance style at the end of the 19th century. The historic town hall of the 14th century has been preserved in the city. A whole palace complex of the 12th century has survived next to it, which now houses the Historical Museum of Frankfurt. There are 7 thematic exhibitions that tell about the city, starting from the very first mentions of it. The former Carmelite monastery houses an archaeological museum. In addition to the closed exposition, its complex includes the "Domhögel" zone - these are open excavations of the foundations of ancient buildings.
The main shopping center in the center is centered around the Zeil pedestrian street. In addition, in the old town there is the central food market Kleinmarkthalle, which is definitely worth a visit for those who love delicacies and edible souvenirs. It is combined with a food court, where you can taste various interesting dishes from all countries and peoples. The best German homemade sausage is sold here. And in the very center of the city on Paulsplatz in December there is a Christmas fair, traditional for Europe.
Bahnhofsviertel
The area around the station, opposite the Museum Embankment, which is considered one of the most criminal and crowded. Here, on the one hand, all the hot spots of the city are concentrated (for example, the largest brothel in Germany), and on the other hand, the proximity to the train station is always a huge crowd of people. The central station passes through itself daily more than 400 thousand people. The station is not only an abundance of tourists, but also an opportunity to go anywhere in the city and the whole country: metro lines, trams, buses and commuter trains converge here. Security at the station is ensured by the police, and a law-abiding citizen has nothing to fear here.
There are a lot of expensive four-star hotels in this area, including those practically near the train station, so if you take some elementary care, this area can become a great place to live. The station also presupposes an excellent residential infrastructure: there are supermarkets, souvenirs, expensive restaurants, cheap fast-feet, ATMs and pharmacies. The Old Town is easily accessible from here both on foot and by bus. The buildings of the late 19th century are well preserved in the area, as well as several skyscrapers of the 30s of the 20th century.
Westen-Nord
The area lies to the north of the city center, in fact it is a university campus. The university was founded in 1914, but the educational institution itself, which formed its basis, is more than 800 years old.
The main building of the university was built at the beginning of the 20th century and is a classic example of Germanic monumental architecture. Admission there is free on days when the university itself is officially open, so you can see it from the inside as well.
Nearby is the Palm Garden: a large park that includes the university botanical garden. The building of the Palm Greenhouse was built in 1869 - for the opening of the garden. The main entrance was decorated in 1905. In addition, the city's villa Leonardi from 1806 has been preserved on the territory; now it houses a famous restaurant. In addition to the historical greenhouses, a completely new one was recently built, equipped with the latest technology - the Tropicarium. The Palm Court has a pond, park pavilions, an ornamental floriculture center, an exposition of steppe and subarctic plants, and much more.
In the south of the area is the Senckenberg Natural History Museum with a large display of dinosaurs and a huge zoological collection.
There are not many accommodations in this area, but it is interesting. In the 19th-20th centuries, these places were a suburban area, and several residential suburban villas have survived here. For example, one of these houses the Hotel Liebig.
Brockenviertel and Sachsenhausen
Areas located on the southern bank of the Main River around the Museum Embankment. This is the main cultural center of Frankfurt, there are more than ten museums, exhibition centers and art galleries. Of these, it is definitely worth noting the Shtedelev Art Institute - this is a large collection of paintings by old masters. Museum of icons with a collection of Byzantine, Russian and Bulgarian icons. The Museum of World Cultures is actually ethnographic.
The embankment offers a beautiful view of the northern coast and the Old Town. Traffic stops here once a week, and there is a flea market that spans several blocks. They sell a huge number of different stained glass items: from Soviet orders to ancient porcelain, so you can also come here as a kind of exhibition, which is part of this museum center. In addition, of course, there are souvenir shops at all museums.
There are several cafes along the waterfront, but most of the restaurants are in the hinterland and are centered around Schweizer Street. Here, not only restaurants of traditional German cuisine, but also famous ethnic ones themselves, and many different bars. One of the most famous techno clubs in the world - Robert Johnson is located practically on the waterfront: Frankfurt is officially considered the birthplace of techno music.
Banks Quarter
A quarter of skyscrapers, it will remind Muscovites of Moscow City, but larger and more interesting. This area of the city suffered the most from the bombing of the Second World War, and they did not begin to restore the old buildings in it, but decided to make it the center of the most modern architectural solutions. The highest tower here is Commerzbank Tower, 259 meters, and the most famous is Eurotower. It is decorated with a huge euro sign: this is the headquarters of the European Central Bank. The Messeturm skyscraper was at one time the tallest building in Europe.
The quarter is completely self-sufficient. It has its own hotels - in skyscrapers, its restaurants with panoramic views - also in skyscrapers, and its own shops - also in skyscrapers. There is an observation deck on the Main Tower skyscraper at a height of 200 meters - it is the only one here. But the views open from everywhere and from all buildings, mostly bars are used as such sites.
Next to the skyscrapers is the main commercial center of Frankfurt - the famous trade and exhibition center Messe Frankfurt, Frankfurt Trade Fair. It consists of several buildings, combined with a large shopping center and a supermarket. Shuttles run between the buildings. The fair is fully equipped also for people with disabilities. There is direct transport from the center to the airport, there are hotels nearby, so if you came to Frankfurt precisely for the sake of participating in some of the professional exhibitions and other events here, then you can stop here nearby. There are also plenty of cafes and food courts in the exhibition buildings, although in general the prices are somewhat overpriced.
