Posted: 02/09/2007--25/11/2008 || Rate this Article: 3 || Views|| Sign In || Register ||Hello Guest
There are many attractions to visit in Frankfurt, Germany. While it can not compare to other cities in Germany, such as Munich, Frankfurt does offer enough attractions to satisfy a couple million visitors each year. One of the most amazing things about Germany is the fact that nearly all of its structures were leveled by bombs in 1944 during the World War. The residents of each city rebuilt their churches, museums and other buildings almost exactly the way they were prior to the war. Most attractions you will visit in Frankfurt have photos around of what each of the structures looked like after the war and also some photos that were taken while the reconstruction of the structure was taking place. These photos are left up for tourists to view so that they may see exactly what kind of destruction the cities of Germany sustained during the bombings of the World War.
While touring Frankfurt, Germany, you must stop and visit the many churches throughout the city. There are two that must simply not be missed. The Cathedral of St. Bartholemew, or better known in Germany as the Dom St. Bartholomaus, and the St. Pauls Church or Paulskirche.
THE CATHEDRAL OF ST. BARTHOLEMEW/DOM ST. BARTHOLOMAUS:
This historical religious site was originally built in 1235 as a parish church. In 1356, it was decreed that all of the German emperors were to be elected here. Because of this decree, church received cathedral status. The cathedral suffered through two major destructions. It had to be rebuilt after a devastating fire in 1867 and again after World War II. To look at the reconstruction of the cathedral after the World War, you will notice that the only parts of the original church that survived the bombings are the frieze of St. Bartholemew, the choir stalls and the Maria-Schlaf altar. Everything else was reconstructed. Some of the treasures of the cathedral are being held in the museums throughout Frankfurt.
ST. PAULS CHURCH/PAULSKIRCHE:
This historical religious site is where the kings and emperors of Germany were crowned. It was originally built to replace the Church of the Barefooted and was opened in 1833. The first German parliament sat here in 1848. 59 articles that are still part of the German constitution were passed here. The church was destroyed during the bombings of the World War in 1944 but was rebuilt in 1947/48 as a memorial. The German Peace Prize ceremony is still held here today.
Along with its amazing historical churches, Frankfurt is full of all types of museums. Some are self explanatory by the name of the museum and others will have more of a description.
JEWISH MUSEUM/JUDISCHES MUSEUM: A history museum displaying articles of the Jewish religion and culture.
HISTORICAL MUSEUM: This museum displays artifacts and photos of Frankfurt, Germany from past to present.
APPLIED ART MUSEUM: This museum displays artwork from around the world. It contains sculptures, carvings and various hand-made art pieces.
LIEBIEGHAUS: This museum displays an amazing collection of sculptures from the classical, Renaissance and Baroque periods.
THE STADEL: This museum is considered to be the citys best museum. It displays an amazing collection of pieces from the 16th century to the present
OPEL-ZOO: There is only one zoo in Frankfurt. The Opel-zoo is found in the middle of the forest near Kronberg. Its name is derived from Adam Opel who was the founder of the motor company which bears his name. The zoo has a wonderful variety of wild animals from all over the world. There are elephants, tigers, lions, zebras, hippos and many more. The cages are not really cages, but large enclosures where the animals can live in a more suitable, comfortable environment. Within the zoo, there are two special sections. The first section contains a petting zoo where children can feed and pet the animals and the second section contains various play areas. These areas include slides, trampolines and a miniature railway system.
Frankfurt has a number of parks and gardens. Most of the gardens were renewed and the conservatories and greenhouses reconstructed during the 1990s. Out of all the wonderful parks and gardens throughout Frankfurt, the one that should not be missed is the Palmengarten.
THE PALMENGARTEN: The park is also a botanical garden. It includes a perennial garden, an expanded rock garden and an amazing rose garden. The Palm house, which was built in 1869, serves as a gallery for shows and other exhibitions. The Tropicarium hosts tropical vegetation, the Sub-Antarctic House displays plants from South American lands and the Entrance Conservatory houses insectivorous plants. There are also many other collections of plants to be seen. The park area of the Palmengarten includes a small lake, fountains and a place for concerts to be held, including a dance area.
When deciding which attractions you will want to visit when touring Frankfurt, Germany, you should keep in mind that most of the churches usually ask for a small donation to tour their part of history. When you visit the museums and historical homes, it is mandatory to pay a fee upon entering. In some of them you will be able to walk about freely and others you will have to attend a tour. But it will be a small price to pay to see an amazing and important part of world history.
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