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Entertainment:

Culture:

Frankfurt has its own congenial way of life, which Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Frankfurt’s most famous son, summed up so well: “Here I am human, here I can be myself.”

Frankfurt is a city of trade fair, a financial centre, a transportation hub, a major European metropolis, but also a city of intellect, of apple wine, of small-town friendliness, green spaces and 180 nationalities.

A major festival which takes place in Frankfurt, is the "Museumsuferfest"; "Museum-Riverbank-Festival". It is one of the biggest cultural festivals in Germany, which offers the opportunity to see, buy, smell, taste and hear new things from all around the world. The festival takes place yearly at the end of summer and attracts an average of 3 million visitors. The festival goes over a period of 3 days and ends with a spectacular show of fireworks.

Frankfurt ist also known for having one of the greatest red light districts in Germany in vicinity of the main train station.

Opera House:

Alte Oper, Frankfurt's famous opera house, was built in 1880 by the architect Richard Lucae. It was one of the major opera houses of Germany, until its was destroyed in World War II. It was not until 1981 that the old opera was fully rebuilt and reopened. Today it functions as a concert hall and operas are performed in the Oper Frankfurt. The inscription on the frieze of the Old Opera says: "Dem Wahren, Schonen, Guten" ("To the true, the beautiful, the good").

Mueseums:

Frankfurt is also home to many cultural and educational institutions, the Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universitat, many museums, most of them lined up along the Main river on the Museumsufer (museum embankment), and a large botanical garden, the Palmengarten. Frankfurt's second major university, Business School of Finance and Management, focuses on finance.

The best-known museums are:

• Stadel (Frankfurt's most prestigious museum)
• Senckenberg Natural History Museum
• Museum for Modern Art
• Schirn Art Gallery
• Jewish Museum
• German Film Museum
• Judengasse

Shopping:

The Zeil is the main shopping area of Frankfurt. Various large department stores compete for customers here. You can spend a lot of money here on perfumes, clothes, jewelry, or really anything else you desire. While the Zeil itself is mostly populated by generic shops, nearby streets also house more exclusive - and much more expensive - stores of all kinds. To reach the Zeil, take the subway to Hauptwache or Konstabler Wache, but you can easily walk from the central station.

If you like shopping centres, take the subway U1 direction Ginnheim and get off at the station Nordwestzentrum. It is one of the biggest malls in Germany.

South-east of the Zeil is the Goethestrasse (Goethe Street), which covers the exclusive and designer shops. If you are a foreign visitor, remember to ask for tax free shopping and insure that you receive a “tax free” envelope for the customs officer. You will get your value added tax money back when you leave the country (16% in 2005). Often the store staff can speak English, other languages may be available.

Food:

There are of course restaurants all over Frankfurt. One notable area for dining may be what is locally known as the Fressgass (a "nice" translation would be "eating road"). The correct name of this street is Grosse Bockenheimer Strasse. As the nickname implies, the Fressgass features many Cafes, restaurant, and delicatessen food stores. It's a popular area to dine after the daily shopping. Take the subway to station Hauptwache or Alte Oper.

If you are looking for an in-depth paper-based restaurant guide, a popular publication is Frankfurt Geht Aus (Frankfurt is going out), a magazine style dining guide of the city. It can be bought for 4.80 Euro at many kiosks and book stores, or at the Tourism Information at the central station.

Some suggested restaurants:

Avocado Bistro
Hochstrasse 27
Tel: 069 292 867
U-bahn: Opernplatz
A sophisticated bistro serving French and mediterranean cuisine. Menu items change with the seasons. Food selections on any given night are limited, but you're almost assured that every item is fresh and carefully chosen by the chef. Inventiveness and solid technique go hand in hand here. A great place for celebrations.

Banjara
Hainerweg 7
Tel: 069 66 37 08 84
The owners of this restaurant have hired a team of chefs from the Tamil region to delight even the most avid of curry house fans. Whilst not cheap, it is the best value for euro in town and promises to burn the tongue of anyone who dares order anything over three stars. One of its most attractive features may be its convenient location, just two blocks away from Old Sachsenhausen, but the succulent food is definitely its calling card.

Central Park Public Pantry
Kaiserhofstrasse 12
Tel: 069 91 39 61 46
This trendy restaurant is in it's second year of existence, and has become one of the most popular eateries in the city.

Erno's Bistro
Liebigstrasse 15 (Westend)
Tel: 069 721 997
Erno’s is one of the best restaurants in town and something of a Frankfurt culinary institution offering classic French cuisine such as rack of lamb, lobster and fresh fish dishes. There is an excellent wine list to make the meal even more memorable, as well as some sensational desserts. Erno’s is a chic gourmet rendezvous that is always busy, so reservations are essential. Closed weekends and July to August.

Gargantua
Liebigstrasse 47
Tel: 069 72 07 18
U-Bahn: Westend
This stylish family run restaurant is operated in a discreet, well-versed way that includes a sophisticated knowledge of German, Italian, and Austrian wines. Patrons can ecpect a near perfect experience here. Flavours, textures, and colours combine to delight in such dishes as a creamy soup with black sausage and Perigord truffles, or a zesty risotto with radicchio, squid, and spicy chorizo sausage.

La Trattoria
Furstenbergstr. 179
Tel: 069 55 21 30
One of Frankfurt's legendary upmarket Italian restaurants, which serves impeccably prepared dishes ranging from classic Italian cuisine to the chef's daily impromptu creations. Portions are rather scanty, though the required second course should do the trick. A smart choice when looking to impress business clients or your date.

Main Tower Restaurant & Bar
Neue Mainzer Strasse 52-58
Tel: 069 365 04 777
U-Bahn: Willy-Brandt-Platz
Set on the semicircular 53rd floor of one of the tallest buildings in Frankfurt, this is Frankfurt's most architecturally unusual restaurant. It offers a starkly modern environment (steel tables, minimalist chairs), whose main aesthetic intrigue lies in views that extend for miles in all directions. The long line of diners who ascend every day for lunch, dinner, and after-work cocktails makes up one of the most diverse clientele in town. Some of the best dishes include tuna with spicy curried mashed potatoes or breast of duck with creamed potatoes and wild garlic in a honey-mushroom sauce.

Maingau Stuben
Schifferstrasse 38-40 
Tel: 069 6107 52
Chef Werner Dopfner himself greets you and lights your candle at this very "in" restaurant. A polished clientele is drawn by the linen tablecloths, subdued lighting, and such nearly forgotten practices as carving the meat tableside. The menu includes contemporary dishes such as seafood salad with scallops and lobster mousse and rack of venison in a walnut crust. He also has a cellar full of rare German wines.

O'Reilly's
Am Hauptbahnhof 4
Tel: 069 26 48 78 78
Mammoth size portions fit with this gigantic Irish pub, which offers pool, darts, and karaoke every Friday night. O’Reilly’s does great Irish lamb stew, as well a fantastic sirloin made with Irish beef. Most locals turn up at the weekend for the traditional Irish breakfast fry-up.

Pacific Colors
Hochstrasse 4
In the lobby of the Hilton Hotel
Tel: 069 1338 000
The most beautiful park in Frankfurt, seen through floor-to-ceiling windows, set the scene for Pacific Colors. Californian cooking is one of the most varied cuisines in the world, and the chefs use their skills to celebrate this. Elements of Asian, Mexican and Mediterranean cooking are blended to create new taste sensations.

Surf & Turf
Gruneburgweg 95
Tel: 069 72 21 22
Located in the former home of composer Engelbert Humperdinck, this restaurant devotes itself to beef and fish, as the name suggests. The classic, dark wood-lined dining room is frequented by the business elite as well as couples out for a romantic evening. This is a good popular restaurant, and reservations are necessary.

Tiger Restaurant
Heiligkreuzgasse 16-20
Tel: 069 92 00 2250
U-Bahn: Konstablerwache
One of Frankfurt's finest restaurants, this michelin starred outlet has a basement level dining room, covered in murals and has hosted many celebrities and government officials. Menu items are intensely cultivated and impeccably presented.

Weinhaus Bruckenkeller
Schutzenstrasse 6
Tel: 069 2980 070
U-Bahn Konstablerwache
Located in the heart of the Altstadt, this fine restaurant has candlelit tables, Franconian carvings adorn the alcoves, and huge wooden barrels are decorated with scenes from Goethe's Faust. The food is light and subtle. The wine cellar holds 285 selections of German wines, including the Rhineland's best. Personal attention and efficient service are hallmarks.

Drink:

Apfelwein (apple wine) is the German form of cider, produced from apples. It is also regionally known as Ebbelwoi, or Saurer Most (sour must), has an alcohol content of 5.5% - 7 % and a tart, sour taste. It is often served mixed with carbonated water (Sauergespritzter). Sometimes it's also mixed with lemonade, which is called Subgespritzter. Apfelwein is also traditionally served in a Bembel -a pitcher made of gray clay and decorated with blue glaze designs.

Apfelwein is mainly produced and consumed in Hessen (where it is the state beverage), particularly in the Frankfurt, Wetterau and Odenwald areas, in Moselfranken, Merzig (Saarland) and the Trier area, as well as the lower Saar area and the region bordering on Luxembourg. In these regions there are several large producers as well as numerous small, private producers who use traditional recipes. Some of the most famous restaurants where Apfelwein is served are in Sachsenhausen (Frankfurt am Main).

Sports:

Eintracht Frankfurt is a German football club based in Frankfurt, Hesse. The origins of the side go back to a pair of football clubs founded in 1899: Frankfurter Football-Club Victoria Football-Club Kickers. These two teams merged in May of 1911 to become Frankfurt FV (Kickers-Victoria), which in turn joined Frankfurter Turngemeinde to form TuS Eintracht Frankfurt in 1920.

Inaugurated in 1991, the local American Football team Frankfurt Galaxy is the only European League team to win three World Bowls, making them the most successful NFL Europe team. Fans from over 100 different official clubs all over Germany travel in wearing their finest purple, orange and red to watch the games that take place in Frankfurt's Waldstadion. Comprised of 48 mostly North American players, the Galaxy plays will play home and away leading up to the World Bowl.

Frankfurt’s ice hockey team had a tough history until the 1990s, when Eintracht Frankfurt was re-dubbed the Frankfurt Lions, and with the addition of international players, managers and trainers and a big image makeover, they managed to make it to the semi-finals in 1998. As is common with German sports, the Lions have over 50 official fan clubs cheering them on to victory. The German league has more than a few foreign players, and games are always entertaining.

The golfcourse in the Waldstadion is located within the city limits, and is open to all. The course has nine holes, plus a floodlit driving range.

Stadium:

CommerzBank Arena:

The CommerzBank Arena (also historically known as Waldstadion) is a 52,000 seat stadium in Frankfurt, Germany that is primarily used for soccer and American football. It is the home of the Eintracht Frankfurt and Frankfurt Galaxy. The Waldstadion was first opened in 1925 and during World War II it was also used for political events.

It has been named "Commerzbank-Arena" since July 2005. During the 2006 World Cup, the stadium will be called "FIFA WM Stadion Frankfurt" (Frankfurt World Cup Stadium). Large modifications have been made for the tournament with the stadium being nearly completely rebuilt and modernized. Now it is one of Germany's biggest stadiums and there have already been some important events in this year, such as the finale of the German Football Championship.

Stadium World Cup Schedule:

• 10th June 2006 Group B: England - Paraguay 3pm
• 13th June 2006 Group G: Korea - Togo 3pm
• 17th June 2006 Group D: Portugal - Iran 3pm
• 21st June 2006 Group C: Netherlands - Argentina 9pm
• 01st July 2006 Quarter Finals: Winner R7 - Winner R8

Tourist Tips:

Frankfurt is a city of contrasts. Wealthy bankers, students, and granola drop-outs coexist in a city that has some of the highest, most avant-garde skyscrapers of Europe next to well maintained old buildings. The downtown area, especially Romer square and the museums at the River Main, draw millions of tourists every year. On the other hand, many off the beaten track neighborhoods, such as Bockenheim, Bornheim, Nordend and Sachsenhausen, with their intact beautiful 19th century streets and parks, are mostly neglected by tourism.

Henniger Turm:

The Henninger Turm (tower) is a grain storage silo located in the Frankfurt district of Sachsenhausen. It is owned by the Henninger brewery and has a storage capacity of 16,000 tons of barley. The 120 metre, 33-story high tower was designed by Karl Lieser and was built from 1959 to 1961. Its was inaugurated on May 18, 1961.

The Henninger Tower has two rotating restaurants at the height of 101 and 106 metres and an open-air observation deck at the height of 110 metres. The tower has been closed to the public since October 31, 2002. Plans to destroy the tower and replace it with a new one were abandoned.

PaulsKirche:

St. Paul's Church (Paulskirche) is a national historic 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 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 services 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. In 1963, US President John F. Kennedy gave a major speech in the Paulskirche during a visit to Germany.

Frankfurt cathedral:

St Barhtolomeus' Cathedral is a Gothic building, which was constructed in the 14th and 15th centuries on the foundation of an earlier church from the Merovingian time. It is the main church of Frankfurt. From 1356 onwards, kings of the Holy Roman Empire were elected in this church, and from 1562 to 1792, emperors were crowned here.

Since the 18th century, Saint Bartholomeus' has been called "the cathedral" by the people, although it has never been a bishop's seat. In 1867, the cathedral was destroyed by a fire and rebuilt in its present style. The height of the cathedral is 95 m.

The Main Tower:

The Main Tower (Subway station Willy-Brandt-Platz) building is special as it is the only Frankfurt high-rise that is open to the public. For a small fee you can take the elevator to the viewing platform at a height of 200 meters. From here, you will have a good view of Frankfurt and the surrounding area. Make sure to go on a clear day, and if you're in Frankfurt in Fall or Spring you might wish to try to go up a short while before sunset. That way, you can witness how the city changes from day to nightlife. The Main Tower is something that you should not miss during your stay.

Other suggested attractions:

• Goethe's Birthplace
• Frankfurt Zoo
• Palm Garden
• Grueneburgpark
• Romerberg
• The Eiserner Steg (Iron bridge)
• Walk along the Main River
• The Saalburg (Old Roman fort just outside Frankfurt)

History:

Frankfurt has played a central role in the political history of Germany and the German states for centuries. From 855 to 1792 Frankfurt was the electoral city for the Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation. In the 1848-49 revolutions, it became a sort of revolutionary capital and was the seat of the first democratically elected German parliament, the Frankfurt Parliament, which met in the Frankfurter Paulskirche, or the St. Paul's Church.

It has been the site of Gutenberg's print shop; the birthplace of Goethe, for many Germany's greatest poet; and the city where the first German parliament met.

Frankfurt has also been a centre of "Ideology Studies", often ideologies that have nothing in common with capitalism. In 1923, the philosopher Max Horkheimer and the sociologist Theodor Adorno founded the Institute of Social Sciences Research to study and develop the theories of Marx and Freud. The result was the "Frankfurt School", which gained international acclaim. The School was forced in exile to Geneva (1933 - 1934) and later to New York, but Horckheimer and Adorno returned to Frankfurt in 1950.

In 1944 the city is heavily bombed which results in the destruction of a large part of the historical centre.
 

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