Frankfurt Vertical

Join us on a tour through one of Germany’s most exciting cities and discover new perspectives.

9. 6. 2017 Models

Frankfurt airport has more than 460,000 aircraft departures and arrivals each year.

The first highlight appears even before you arrive in the city: the skyline. Frankfurt impresses with its huge amount of stunning skyscrapers, every single one with an extraordinary and outstanding lightning concept. In fact, Frankfurt is the only city in Germany with a major skyline – within Europe only London and Paris can keep up with it.

The reason for this architectural uniqueness can be found in the years after the Second World War. Not much of the once largest connected old town of Frankfurt is left. Even the now very popular and crowded picturesque Römerberg with its framed, half-timbered houses and the town hall had to be reconstructed completely. It was back then when Frankfurt decided to shape up for the future and to become a city, open – and attractive - to the world.

Today Frankfurt is the home of some of the world’s leading fairs and exhibitions: The “Internationale Automobil Ausstellung” in the first place closely followed by the “Musikmesse” and the “Buchmesse” as the leaders in the music and book sector. The gate to Frankfurt Messe lies right next to one of the most iconic buildings: the Messeturm. With its pencil-like look the 1991 opened and 256 m tall building claimed the title for the highest skyscraper in Europe for seven years. Only to be redeemed by the Commerzbank Tower, which held the title with its 300 m until 2012.

In total Frankfurt hosts 14 of 15 skyscrapers in Germany, more than 15 others are under construction or planned and the number of buildings exceeding 100 m is well over 30.

Maybe the biggest contrast of Frankfurt is the discrepancy between scale and population. While the skyline delivers the feeling of being in a big city like New York or Hongkong, the Hessian heart is fairly small. Only 730,000 live in Frankfurt, which leads it in only the fifth place of the biggest German cities. Good news is that Frankfurt people just don’t care: They love the romantic village-like character of the hometown on the weekends and then again being able to bathe in the megacity atmosphere during the week. A fact which can be explained if you look at the number of commuters. Frankfurt is expected to nearly double the number of inhabitants during (work) days. So not only Frankfurter love their city, but people from all over the world. Just 2014 the new European Central Bank opened its spectacular headquarter, strengthening the status of Frankfurt as the financial capital of the continent.

But it’s not only size, scale and numbers that impress in Frankfurt. Take a look around and you’ll find lots of interesting and new perspectives. Admire the city from one of the many bridges, discover lovely churches, profound historic buildings like Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s birthplace or just those traditional bars where they serve the classic Frankfurt dish: Grie Soß and Ebbelwoi – which roughly translates in a herbal sauce with boiled eggs and potatoes and a special brew of apple cider. As an alternative just stroll along shopping on the Zeil, Rossmarkt and Goethestraße.