Page 380 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Germany

378  WESTERN GERM AN Y FR ANKFUR T A M M AIN  379

y Frankfurt am Main Dismantled stone by stone P Römerberg VISITORS’ CHECKLIST
during the construction of the Located in the centre of
Frankfurt, nicknamed “Mainhattan” and “Chicago am Main” town’s underground system, it Frankfurt’s old town, this square Practical Information
because of its skyscrapers, is one of the main economic and was reassembled in its original contains the Gerechtigkeits- Road map C5. * 660,000.
n Hauptbahnhof (069-21 23 88
cultural centres of both Germany and Europe. The head­ form following the completion brunnen (fountain of justice). Its 00); Römerberg 27 (069-21 23 88
quarters of many major banks and newspaper publishers of the project. Since 1904 the highlight, how ever, is the Römer 00). _ Dippemesse (spring,
Hauptwache has been a chic café
(literally the Roman). So-called
are based here, including those of the Frankfurter Allgemeine and a popular meeting place. after the remains of ancient autumn), Wäldchestag (Whitsun),
Zeitung, one of Europe’s most influential newspapers. Portal of the Goethehaus, with the settlements, it is a complex of Kunsthandwerk Heute (May/Jun),
The city’s International Book Fair is the world’s largest P Goethehaus ancestral family crest 15th- to 18th-century houses, Mainfest (Aug), Book Fair (Oct),
Christkindlmarkt (Dec).
event of its kind. Goethe was born in Frankfurt, and the Großer Hirschgraben 23. Tel (069) 13 including the Altes Rathaus (old ∑ frankfurt-tourismus.de
Johann­Wolfgang­Goethe­Universität is one of Germany’s 88 00. Open 10am–6pm Mon–Sat, R Paulskirche town hall), which were rebuilt
10am–5:30pm Sun. &
after World War II. Opposite is a
Paulsplatz 11. Tel (069) 21 23 49 20.
most famous universities. The city also boasts magnificent ∑ goethehaus-frankfurt.de Open 10am–5pm daily. group of half-timbered houses, 1464 for a Cologne silk merchant.
art collections. Southwest of the Hauptwache is The distinctive Neo-Classical com monly referred to as Ostzeile. It has been reconstructed and is
Johann Wolfgang Goethe’s family rotunda of the church was begun The Steinernes Haus (stone now the home of the Frankfurter
home. The great German poet, in 1786 but not completed until house) was originally built in Kunstverein (artists’ league).
novelist and dramatist was born 1833, due to continuous
here on 28 August 1749. The hostilities with France. Today,
house, along with many other however, this building is no
buildings in Frankfurt, was totally longer thought of, or indeed used
destroyed in World War II, but as, a church. After the first, albeit
later lovingly restored. Its interior ill-fated, German National
was reconstructed to represent Assembly met here following the
the style typical of the mid- to revolutionary upheavals of 1848–
late 18th century. Goethe lived 9, the church became a symbol of
in this house until 1775, when republican and liberal Germany.
he moved to Weimar. The desk The Pauls kirche now serves as a
at which he wrote his early venue for many important events.
works, including the first Each year the awards ceremony
versions of Götz von Berlichingen for the prestigious German
(1771) and Egmont (1774), has Publishers’ Peace Prize takes
been preserved. place here. The Ostzeile on the Römerberg, one of the symbols of Frankfurt
The adjacent building now
houses the Goethemuseum.
The Neo-Renaissance façade of the Alte Oper Opened in 1997, the museum Frankfurt City Centre
recreates the atmosphere of the
F Alte Oper bay windows; it also has two 1750–1830 period, and holds 1 Alte Oper ES C HENHEI MER AN L A G E
BLEICHSTRASSE
Opernplatz 1. Tel (069) 134 00. reliefs de picting eagles, the a collection of items related to 2 Eschenheimer Turm BOCKENHEIMER A N LAGE Eschenheimer
Turm
The monumental old opera symbol of the German Empire the writer. There is an excellent 3 Börse Eschenheimer SEILERSTR.
Tor
house stands near the Stock and the city of Frankfurt. library, which contains some 4 Hauptwache WEG REUTER- Alte HOCHSTRASSE TAUBENSTR. STEPHANS TR. SCHÄFERG. STRASSE
Exchange. Built in 1872–80, it was of his writings. 5 Goethehaus Oper SCHILLERSTR. ESCHEN- HEIMERSTR.
completely burned down during P Börse 6 Paulskirche Börse Konstablerwache
LANDSTR.
World War II. Subsequently Börsenplatz. 7 Römerberg MAINZER Alte Oper Hauptwache ZEIL K.-ADENAUER- K.-SCHUMACHER-STR.
rebuilt, it is today used as a According to historical records, 8 St Leonhardskirche Hauptwache Liebfrauen- FAHR GASSE
conference centre. Its façade and local merchants founded the 9 Historisches Museum JUNGHOFSTRASSE kirche Museum für
decorat ions are a fine imitation town’s first Stock Exchange in 0 Nikolaikirche Maintower ROSSMARKT Kleinmarkthalle Moderne Kunst HANAU
of the Italian Renaissance style. 1558. The new building, q Kunsthalle Schirn TAUNUSANLAGE NEUE MAINZER STR.
designed by Heinrich Burnitz and w Kaiserdom Goethehaus BERLINER STRASSE Paulskirche
P Eschenheimer Turm Oskar Sommer, was erected in e Museum für Moderne Kunst Dom Rőmer RÖMERBERG Kaiserdom
Große Eschenheimer Straße. 1864–79. It has been used r Ikonen-Museum Willy-Brandt- Nikolaikirche Kunsthalle
Platz
Schirn
The Eschenheimer again by stockbrokers since t Museum für Hauptbahnhof Historisches
400m (450 yards)
Alte
Turm, at the corner of 1957, and is open to Angewandte Kunst Oper & Archäolo- St Leonhards- Museum Brücke
gisches
Hochstraße, presents a the public. Like the old y Deutsches Architekturmuseum Schauspielhaus Museum kirche
silhouette typical of opera house, the u Jüdisches Museum Main SACHSENHÄUSER UFER
old Frankfurt. A relic stock exchange is i Städelsches Kunstinstitut GUTLEUTSTR. Museum Museum für Museum
Ikonen-
WILHELM-
of the medieval Putti with model ship, at the designed in Neo- -LEUSCHNER-STR. Jüdisches Angewandte
Untermain-
Kunst
town’s fortifi cations, front of the Börse Renaissance style. UNTERMAINKAI brücke Museum der WALTER-KOLB-STR.
Deutsches
it was designed by Architekturmuseum Weltkulturen
Klaus Mengoz; construction P Hauptwache SCHWEIZER STR. GARTENSTR.
began in 1400 and was An der Hauptwache. SCHAUMAINKAI Städelsches
Kunstinstitut
completed in 1428 by Madern Built in 1730, the Hauptwache 0 metres 400 Schweizer
Gerthener. The façade of the was originally a guardhouse. The distinctive Neo-Classical rotunda of Liebieghaus Platz
tower features many attractive Later it was turned into a prison. the Paulskirche 0 yards 400 Flughafen
13 km (8 miles)
For hotels and restaurants in this area see pp499–500 and pp525–6 For additional map symbols see back flap
378-379_EW_Germany.indd 378 09/10/17 2:30 pm 378-379_EW_Germany.indd 379 09/10/17 2:30 pm
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.2)
Date 15th January 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm