Frankfurt

Frankfurt-am-Main

Frankfurt is Germany’s financial centre. The city hosts not only all major German banks, such as the “Deutsche Bank”, “Dresdner Bank” or “Commerzbank” but also the “European Central Bank” and the German “Bundesbank” which is equivalent to the South African Reserve Bank. And, of course, the “Deutsche Börse”, the German stock exchange, can also be found in “Mainhattan”, as the metropolis (pop. 650.000) on the River Main with its modern skyscraper-packed skyline is sometimes called.Frankfurt is a very cosmopolitan city with numerous overseas visitors, most of them visiting one of the many trade and consumer-goods fairs in Frankfurt including the world’s largest book fair. Frankfurt’s Airport is the prime air traffic hub in Germany and the largest airport in Europe. Most international flights to Germany arrive here.

Some Highlights

Alte Oper
The beautiful Renaissance-style Old Opera House is Frankfurt’s top cultural venue with a concert hall and conference centre.

Goethe House
Birthplace of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832). Germany’s greatest poet spent much of his early life here, writing such literary works as “The Sorrows of Young Werther” and “Faust”. Guided tours are offered daily, also in English language.

St. Paul’s Church
Completed in 1833, this church served as the seat for the first German national assembly in 1848, which provided the basis for Germany’s present-day constitution. Today, the site hosts award presentations as well political and cultural events.

Römerberg
Frankfurt’s historical central square. You will find the famous Paulskirche here, magnificent half-timbered houses and other restored buildings from the 14th and 15th century. One of the houses, called “Großer Engel” (Great Angel), was home to Frankfurt’s oldest bank, established in the 17th century.

Römer
Frankfurt’s historic City Hall is a three-gabled patrician’s house. It served as city hall from 1405 and has been the official seat of the city’s lord mayor ever since. The glorious Emperor’s Hall inside the Römer was once the site of the coronation banquets of German emperors.

Hauptwache
The historic guard station and prison was built in 1671 and reconditioned in 1728. It was transformed into a downtown café in 1904.

Deutsche Börse
Germany’s busiest stock exchange is housed in a late 19th-century building. Guided tours are held from 12 a.m. to 5 p.m. on working days and offer thorough insights into the world of the stock exchange.