Frankfurt

Frankfurt am Main, the city many refer to as the banking center of Europe, was founded by the Romans in the 1st century. Frankfurt (Franconovurd) was first mentioned by Charlemagne in a deed of dedication in 794.

Frankfurt has been the location for some of Germany's most auspicious occasions. Johan Wolfgang von Goethe, the author of the masterpiece "Faust" was born in Frankfurt in 1749, and was baptized at the Katherinenkirche, a very simple church in downtown Frankfurt.

The city was also the home of the first German parliament. Paulskirche (St. Paul's Church) became famous not as a church, but as a meeting place. Built to replace the Barfüßerkirche (Church of the Barefooted), it was opened in 1833. The first freely-elected German Parliament sat here in 1848.

A literary home

A cultural institution that still calls Frankfurt home, the Frankfurt Book Fair, first took place on the Römerberg in 1480. The event would grow to become the largest book fair on the planet. Frankfurt's association with books grew in 1530 with the opening of the first book printing presses signals the beginning of Frankfurt's role as publishing center.

The Book Fair was closed during World War II as the city center and medieval streets were destroyed by Allied air attacks. American troops occupied the city in 1945. Four years later the book fair reopened and the rest is history.

Although up until now Frankfurt has had a more modest role regarding the cultural scene, all that has changed significantly. Money attracts culture and thus the city has gravitated toward becoming an art metropolis during these past 10 years. Along the banks of the Main stretch a long line of museums and exhibition galleries, authentic construction jewels showing off some of the most varied architectural styles and are a must see for all lovers of art.

A green belt through finance central

While the city is a dazzling example of modern architecture in places, especially the banking and business quarter, there are still many areas of historical interest in the city. The medieval castle of Schönhof is situated in the middle of a lake in Holzhausen Park. Built in 1727-29, it was once the Holzhausen dynasty's country residence.

Today it is used for exhibitions and classical concerts. The city also boasts green areas such as the Palm Garden which contains a stunning array of exotic plants and plays host to open-air classical concerts and festivals throughout the year.

While it has been a while since the home team Eintracht Frankfurt won the Bundesliga Championship, as far back as the 1958/59 season, their home stadium is well respected, and the local team is making another go in the Bundesliga this season. The Waldstadion seats 48,000 and is being completely renovated for the World Cup. The city will host 5 games during the finals in 2006 including a quarter-final.