Frankfurt am Main, Germany: General travel information
Frankfurt am Main, area 248 km², population 653 000, federal state Hesse
Frankfurt is the center of the Rhine - Main region with a population of around 5.5 million, the second largest metropolitan area in Germany. Located on the Main river it is the financial and transportation center of Germany and largest financial center of Europe. The European Central Bank, the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and the German Federal Bank are located in Frankfurt.
Frankfurt International Airport, located 15 km south of the city center is one the worlds most busiest airports with 54 million passengers in 2007, it is also one of the biggest airports by cargo traffic.
Frankfurt Central Station is one of the biggest railway stations in Europe and the Autobahn interchange Frankfurter Kreuz is the most used interchange in Europe.
Roman settlements were established in the 1st century in the area of the market square. From 855 the emperors and kings of the Holy Roman Empire were elected in Frankfurt and crowned in the cathedral of Aachen, from Maximilian II. in 1562 the emperors and kings were also crowned in Frankfurt.
The Frankfurt trade fair was first mentioned in 1150, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II. granted imperial privileges to the marketers in 1240, book trade fairs have been held since 1478. Frankfurt became an imperial city in 1372, what meant it was directly under the reigns of the Holy Roman Empire.
Car Rentals in Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Discount city and cheap airport rates, compare our special deals and competitive prices for cars and hires in german towns and cities
Main sights:
- Old town
- Roemer, town hall, built in 1405, reconstructed in 1950,
- Roemerberg: central market square from the 14th century in the middle of the old town of Frankfurt
- Saint Bartholomew cathedral is the biggest church in Frankfurt am Main, height 95m, it was built in the 14th and 15th century, burnt down in 1867 and reconstructed from 1868
- Church of Saint Leonhard, the late romanesque basilica was built from 1219 to 1250
- Frankfurter Paulskirche, church of St. Paul, protestant church built from 1789, completed 1833, seat of the first democratic elected parliament in 1848
- Old Nikolai church, early gothic church
- Carmelite abbey, built from 1460 to 1520, huge medieval wall paintings, archaeological museum
- Alte Oper, old opera house built 1880 according to plans of architect Richard Lucae
- Katharinenkirche, Church of St. Catherine, lutheran church built from 1678 - 1681, destroyed in WW II 1944, reconstructed 1950 - 1954
- Hauptwache, baroque building built from 1729-1730
- Goethe house, birthplace of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Goethemuseum
- Museum of architecture
- Jewish museum
- Museum of modern art
- Zeil, main shopping street, one of the busiest in Germany
- Commerzbank Tower, 259m
- Messe Turm, 257m
- Nightlife
Airport:
Frankfurt International Airport (FRA), 15km south of city center