Frankfurt-am-Main Sights

  1. Alte Oper

    Inaugurated in 1880, the Renaissance-style Alte Oper was designed by Berlin architect Richard Lucae and stylistically influenced by Gottfried Semper, creator of the famous Semperoper in Dresden. After being destroyed in WWII, and then narrowly avoiding being razed and replaced with 1960s cubes, the Alte Oper was rebuilt and its façade reconstructed to resemble the original, graced with statues of Goethe and Mozart. The interior is modern.

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  2. Bornheim

    Berger Strasse is the spinal cord of the district of Bornheim, the traditional working class part of town. These days, it prefers the label 'bohemian', an image it measures up to well with its mix of dusty bookstores, eccentric boutiques, health food shops and inexpensive cafes and restaurants. Towards the north, the feel gets more mainstream with chain stores and snack bars.

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  3. Börse

    The old city Börse (Stock Exchange) is open to visitors, who can view a semi-active trading floor from an observation section. Book at least an hour in advance, and bring ID with you. Most of the Börse's functions and electronic trading systems have moved to new headquarters in the northwestern suburb of Frankfurt-Hausen.

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  4. Deutsches Architekturmuseum

    The Deutsches Architekturmuseum is something of a disappointment: the permanent collection is just a series of models showing settlements from the Stone Age to the present day, and the rotating exhibits tend to fail on their English translations. Without a single display on the architecture of Frankfurt itself, this is really a missed opportunity.

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  5. Deutsches Filmmuseum

    Deutsches Filmmuseum is a fascinating place. It has a library and film history exhibit, constantly changing exhibitions and extensive archives, plus premieres and special film events (all in their original languages) in the Kommunales Kino; check the programme in any listings magazine .

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  6. Explora

    Immerse yourself and the kids in this family-oriented science and technology museum full of cool optical illusions and three-dimensional works. The photos of turn-of-the-century Frankfurt are a definite highlight.

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  7. Frankfurt Zoo

    Germany's second-oldest zoo has been delighting fans since 1858. Today, you can encounter an international cast of furry, feathered and finned friends on a trip that might take you from the Amazonian jungle to Antarctica via the African Savannah and the Australian Outback. If you're lucky, the howls of wolves can be heard throughout the surrounding neighbourhood of Ostend. When doors close, the zoo's own beer garden opens to help you wind down.

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  8. Frankfurter Dom

    Dominated by the elegant 15th-century Gothic-style tower (95m; completed in the 1860s), the Frankfurter Dom was one of the few structures to survive the 1944 bombing. The Dommuseum (tel: 1337 6816) has a valuable collection of reliquaries and liturgical objects; it conducts tours of the Dom at daily.

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  9. Frau Rauscher Brunnen statue

    This unusual statue is a bulky, bitchy-looking Hausfrau who periodically spews a stream of water about 10m onto the footpath. When the street's busy, you'll undoubtedly see pedestrians get drenched. The idea is based on a popular Frankfurth song about apple wine.

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  10. Goethe-Haus & Museum

    Anyone with an interest in German literature should visit the Goethe Haus, the birthplace of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe in 1749. Although furnishings are often reproductions, some original pieces remain on show. Highlights are Goethe's original writing desk and the library. Guided tours are conducted in German at and ; English tours can be arranged, but staff can also help you along.

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  11. Historisches Museum

    The Historisches Museum, just south of Römerberg, is worth visiting, even if you skip the uninspiring permanent exhibition on the Middle Ages in favour of the spectacular model of the city from the 1930s in the foyer.

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  12. Ikonen-Museum

    Opened in 1990, the Ikonen-Museum houses a collection of more than 1000 religious exhibits, many of them being Russian Orthodox icons from the 16th to the 19th centuries. Admission includes entry to the neighbouring Russian church.

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  13. Jüdisches Museum

    The city has two notable museums on Jewish life in Frankfurt, reminding visitors that the Jewish community here, with 35,000 people, was once one of the largest in Europe. The main Jüdisches Museum, in the former Rothschildpalais, is a huge place with an exhibit of Jewish life in the city from the Middle Ages to present day, with good detail on well-known Frankfurt Jews persecuted, murdered or exiled by the Nazis. Religious items are also displayed.

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  14. Main Tower

    A good place to start seeing the sights of Frankfurt is from the Main Tower, Frankfurt's highest public viewing platform. At 200m tall, the tower offers spectacular views of the city. Nearby is Europe's tallest office block, the 258m-high (298m including the antenna) Commerzbank Tower. Main Tower has a restaurant and cocktail bar on the 53rd floor, one below the viewing terrace.

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  15. Museum der Weltkulturen/Gallerie 37

    A favourite with school parties, thanks to its Native American displays, the Museum der Weltkulturen/Gallerie 37 (Museum of World Cultures/Gallery) has lots of fascinating ethnological exhibits in its two galleries: one focusing on the ancient, one on the contemporary.

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  16. Museum für Angewandte Kunst

    This museum focuses on industrial and product design. Exhits include Japanese designer Kengo Kuma's inflatable tea house, located in the garden of the museum. When a ventilation system is activated, the teahouse swells into shape, looking much like a white, high-tech peanut. The garden itself is lovely: set in pleasant gardens with a smart café and outdoor seating.

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  17. Museum für Kommunikation

    The Museum für Kommunikation is a touchy-feely museum displaying the history of communication, including tips on how to make invisible ink and decipher codes. It's a winner with kids, and it won't cost you a penny unless you visit the excellent café - on Wednesday and Sunday even the tours are free.

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  18. Museum für Moderne Kunst

    The triangular Museum für Moderne Kunst, dubbed the 'slice of cake' by locals, is an excellent and imaginatively run exhibition space with a permanent collection containing works by Roy Lichtenstein, Claes Oldenburg and Joseph Beuys. Temporary exhibits showcase local, national and international artists.

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  19. Museum Giersch

    The Museum Giersch, housed in a 1910 neoclassical-style building, is a regional museum with regular exhibitions of works by lesser-known Hesse artists. Run by the Giersch Foundation, the museum often presents works on loan from public and private owners that would not normally be accessible to the general public.

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  20. Museum Judengasse

    The Museum Judengasse, along the northeastern boundaries of the old city fortifications, is the annexe to the Jüdisches Museum. On display here are remains of ritual baths and houses from the Jewish ghetto, which was destroyed by the Nazis. Behind the Museum Judengasse, the western wall of the Jewish Cemetery is a remarkable memorial studded with metal cubes bearing the names of all the Frankfurt-born Jews murdered during the Holocaust.

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  21. Naturmuseum Senckenberg

    Germany's largest natural history museum also happens to be Frankfurt's busiest and a particular favourite with young folk. With an atmosphere that's a little raucous by museum standards, the exhibits from the mummified cats to the anaconda swallowing a water boar are the instigators of excited chatter. As far as dinosaur bone exhibits go, this is a great collection.

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  22. Palmengarten

    A nice place to relax is in the botanical Palmengarten (Palm Garden). It has rose and formal gardens, a playground for kids, a little pond with rowing boats and a mini-gauge train that puffs round the park (around €1.50 ). Nearby is the monumental IG-Farbenhaus, now part of the university's Westend campus.

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  23. Paulskirche

    Paulskirche is a significant building when it comes to German politics. Built in 1789 as a Protestant church, it became the seat of the Frankfurt Parliament from 1848 to 1849; the National Assembly worked on a constitution for a united Germany here. The constitution never happened, but after Paulskirche was destroyed in WWII, it was the first building to be rebuilt post-war as a tribute to its symbolic place in the country's democratic history.

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  24. Römer

    The old town hall, or Römer, in the northwestern corner of Römerberg, consists of three recreated step-gabled 15th-century houses. The Römer was the site of celebrations during the election and coronation of emperors in the Holy Roman Empire; today it's the registry office and the office of Frankfurt's mayor. Inside, there are portraits of 52 rulers in the Kaisersaal (Imperial Hall).

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  25. Römerberg

    The Römerberg, (west of the Dom), is Frankfurt's old central square, where restored 14th- and 15th-century buildings, including the Paulskirche ( - Mon-Fri), provide a glimpse of how beautiful the city once was. It's especially lovely during December's Weihnachtsmarkt. Right in the centre of the square is the Gerechtigkeitsbrunnen, the 'Font of Justice'. In 1612, at the coronation of Matthias, the fountain ran with wine!

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