Frankfurt
Advertisement
By Air
Frankfurt International Airport is located seven miles from the city centre, next to the Frankfurter Kreuz autobahn intersection. The airport is the main gateway for the country and serves more than 240 destinations in about 110 countries worldwide. All major German airports can be reached via Frankfurt. The airport train station, beneath Terminal 1, has S-Bahn commuter train services to transport you quickly to the city centre. Buses and taxis are also available.
By Rail
Frankfurt's main rail station, the Hauptbahnhof, is one of the busiest in Europe, with over 350,000 travellers passing through it everyday. A train arrives from most major cities every hour until 20:00. The Southern Station (Südbahnhof) and the Airport Station (Flughafen Fernbahnhof) also receive intercity trains.
Be aware that the stations (other than the one at the airport) are very large and confusing, so extra time should be allowed to locate your train. Fast connections to other cities in Germany include those to Berlin, Munich, Hannover and Cologne. There are also frequent trains to other European cities. A fast train to Amsterdam only takes about 5 hours, for example.
You can travel from London to Frankfurt via Brussels or Paris. The Brussels route is more direct and offers faster daytime journeys; however, the Paris route has both daytime and a cheaper sleeper train service. Advanced booking is advised for all international journeys, but for many domestic journeys, a ticket can be purchased on arrival at the station.
By Bus
Frankfurt has long-distance bus service to about 800 German and European cities. For those on a tight budget, this is a good way to travel. The main terminus is by the south side of the Hauptbahnhof, where you will find a Eurolines office.
By Ferry
Germany's main ferry ports are at Kiel, Lübeck and Travemünde in Schleswig-Holstein, and Rostock and Sassnitz in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. All ports have services to Scandinavia. Ferries to the UK leave from Cuxhaven in Schleswig-Holstein. There is a car ferry across Lake Constance linking Switzerland and Germany.
Romer
This has been the symbol of Frankfurt for more than 550 years, and is one of the most popular sights in the city. The square contains a number of rebuilt 15th to 18th century houses that were used by German emperors to celebrate their elections with large banquets. Following the rebuilding after WWII; today, the Romer is used for festive occasions by the city and the Mayor of Frankfurt.
Frankfurt Zoo
The Frankfurt Zoo, southeast of the old Friedberger Tor has a fine collection of animals of many different species (Exotarium, with rooms for different climatic conditions; Crocodile Hall; Insectarium; Nocturnal Animals House; Bird Hall). There is an outstation for hoofed and steppe animals at Ginnheim in the Nidda valley, in the northwestern outskirts of the city.
The Zoo also has a theater, a restaurant, a large visitor's center, a great hall and conference rooms.
Frankfurt Cathedral
Frankfurt Cathedral was originally a Carolingian chapel and has never been an episcopal church in the true sense. The monastery received the honorary title of ‘cathedral’ following the relocation of the coronation ceremonies for Holy Roman kings from Aachen to Frankfurt in 1562. It was damaged badly by fire in 1867, and reconstructed in neo-Gothic style under the direction of Franz Josef Denzinger. It was then damaged again by air raids during WWII and the construction took another three years to complete.
City walls
Although the old city walls are no longer standing, they have been replaced by an attractive three-mile long green strip, which forms a semi-circle around the Old Town. The narrow parkland was landscaped in the early 19th century and follows the former path of the mediaeval city walls. It has been lined with trees, fountains, memorials and modern sculptures including works by Goethe and his colleague, Schiller.
Carmelite Monastery
The building of the Carmelite Monastery dates back to 1246, with the first hall consecrated in 1270, followed by a rectangular presbytery in 1290. Donations allowed the presbytery to be enlarged in 1430, with the refectory and the cloister being added shortly after. During the period of secularisation, the monastery was also used as a fire station, repository and military hospital. The Carmelite chapel and its nearby annexe are now home to the Museum of Archaeology, while the old sections of the monastery house are occupied by the Institute of City History.
St Paul's Church
To the south of Frankfurt's Hauptwache, in Paulsplatz, stands the Paulskirche (built 1790-1833, restored 1948), a plain neo-classical building on a centralized plan in which the first German National Assembly met in 1848-49. The presentation of the Frankfurt Goethe Prize and the annual Peace Prize of the German Book Trade takes place here.
Information not available