Villa Kennedy

Römer (City Hall) and Römerberg
This three-gabled patrician's house served as Frankfurt's city hall as early as 1405 and has become the symbol of the city. Today, the Römer is the official seat of the mayor and the town council. Some offices, like the register office, are accommodated here.

In the 16th Century, the Römerberg as the center of the old part of town was meant to be, was the most beautiful place in the Holy Roman Empire of German Nations. The heyday of the Römerberg lay in the late Middle Ages and in the early modern times, when beside important Frankfurt fairs elections and coronations of the German kings also took place here. In the centre is the famous "Justitia" fountain.

During one bombing night of the Second World War the entire old part of town, with its over 2000 half-timbered houses and its Römerberg, was completely destroyed. Only one house remained, the "Wertheim house. After the end of the war the Römerberg was repaired and rebuilt.

Old Opera House ("To the true, the beautiful, the good")
The old opera house, a building of representations from the period of promoterism, found her origin in a donation of wealthy Frankfurt citizens. On the 20th of October 1880 the opera house, which was built in seven years after the plans of architect Richard Lucae from Berlin, was inaugurated.

Until the destruction towards the end of the Second World War the Old Opera House experienced eight directors, numerous premieres, considerable soloists and world-famous composers. After the war a discussion was inflamed for many years whether the Old Opera House should be rebuilt in its original state or whether the ruin should be torn off. Frankfurt mayor, at that time Rudi Arndt, wanted to blast the opera. He was therefore called "dynamite Rudi". His project failed because of the resistance of Frankfurt's citizens. It was not until 1981 that the old opera was fully rebuilt and reopened.

Cathedral
The gothic tower of the Frankfurt "cathedral" (in the strict sense it is not a cathedral, therefore it has never been a bishops seat) dominates Frankfurts old town. The gothic parish church of St. Bartholomew, built in the name of St. Bartholomew in 1239 and converted to a gothic hall church, received its honourable name "Imperial Cathedral" only in 18th Century.

The cathedral was officially chosen to serve as the electoral site for kings of the Holy Roman Empire in 1356. Between 1562 and 1792 ten imperial coronations took place here.

Goethehouse and Goethe
The house of 1749-born poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's parents is typical for the middle class housing tradition in the late baroque and is not only worth a visit because of its famous inhabitant. If you enter the Goethe house, you feel transferred into another century. The furnishing offers an interesting view of the lifestyle of the 18th Century. Even if the furniture is not the original, one tried to make it as true to original as possible.

Beside the Goethe house is the Goethe museum. In the Goethe museum is the only picture gallery, which dedicates itself to the time Goethe lived in. Pictures of important artists of German-speaking countries from the late baroque are over the storm and stress, the classicism and the romance up to the epoch of Biedermeier.

Botanical Garden (Palmengarten)
The Palmengarten is a trust established by the citizens of Frankfurt in 1868. It is known worldwide for its ample collections of tropical plants. On 50 acres, the gardens display numerous beautiful and interesting plants throughout the year.

With 5000 m2, the Tropicarium is one of the largest complexes of greenhouses. It displays tropical plants including orchids, bromelias, palms, ferns, succulents and many others. These plants are arranged largely according to their natural habitats such as rain forest, mangrove, mountain rain forest, monsoon and trade-wind forest, savannah, thorn forest and different types of vegetation approaching desert.

The large Palm House was constructed in 1869. It displays many palm species as well as a variety of other, mainly sub-tropical plants. The new gallery of the Palmenhaus is used for flower shows and informative exhibitions.

St.Paul's Church (Paulskirche)
St. Paul's Church is the symbol for liberty and democracy in Germany. It is a national historical monument in Germany with great political symbolism, because it was the seat of the first democratically elected Parliament in 1848. It was established in 1789 as a Protestant church but was not finished until 1833. Its importance has its root in the Frankfurt Parliament, which met in the church during the revolutionary years of 1848/49 in order to write a constitution for a united Germany. The attempt failed because the monarchs of Prussia and Austria did not want to lose power, and in 1849 Prussian troops ended the democratic experiment by force of arms and the parliament was dissolved. Afterwards, the building was used for church service again.

St. Paul's was partially destroyed in World War II, particularly the interior of the building, which now has a modern appearance. It was quickly and symbolically rebuilt after the war; today it is not used for religious services, but mainly for exhibitions and events.

Museum Embankment (Museumsufer)
Frankfurt's Museum Embankment is probably the most significant location for museums in Germany and one of the most important locations in Europe.

The diversity and the quality makes it especially unique, particularly among art connoisseurs. Outstanding are the Städelsche Kunstinstitut (Städel), the German Museum of Architecture, the German Film Museum, the Museum of Applied Art, the Liebig Museum of Ancient Cultures, Historical Museum of Frankfurt and the Museum for Communication.

Apart from these highlights above be sure not to miss the "Frankfurt Zoo", the Museum of Modern Art or maybe you would like to visit the famous Variété Theatre "Tigerpalast".

Enjoy a superb panoramic view over Frankfurt from the Main Tower, take a boat trip on the river Main or plunge into Frankfurts cosiness and hospitality with a glass of famous "Ebbelwoi" in one of Old Sachsenhausens many restaurants and pubs.

Last but not least, do not forget the banking district, the Messeturm, the Hauptwache, the Eschersheimer Turm, the Stock Exchange, the Henninger Tower, the Commerzbank Tower, Zeil, Goethestrasse....