Cities & Culture
Frankfurt: where tradition meets modernity
Frankfurt is a pretty modern city. It is home to businesses, skyscrapers and Europe's third largest airport – all of which are state of the art. This may be why Frankfurt has a certain fondness for a wide array of museums. After all, the city is always a little ahead of its time but likes to keep records of it too.
When you think of Frankfurt, banks and the stock exchange are probably the first things to come to mind. And that's not wrong. But it's not all the city has to offer, as it also boasts an unrivalled wealth of museums. The museum embankment is a wonder to behold. The magnificent Städel Museum situated at the heart of Frankfurt's museum mile is one of Germany's preeminent art museums. It features masterpieces spanning nine centuries of European art, with the must-see underground extension housing a collection of works from 1945 onwards. The German Film Museum, Museum of Architecture and Schirn Kunsthalle art gallery are just three of the 60 or so other institutions, all of which focus on a different theme.
Frankfurt's most famous son, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, is omnipresent in the city. You can retrace his footsteps all over the place, including the Goethe House. And with the New Old Town, Frankfurt has reconstructed a part of the district destroyed during World War II just a stone's throw from the cathedral and the Römer City Hall, the city's landmark. It was a project of the century with picturesque prospects: 35 buildings, including 15 exact reconstructions, with shops and restaurants. From the New Old Town, it's just a short walk to the banks of the Main River – the perfect place for a leisurely stroll. Or experience Frankfurt's social and convivial side as you cross the iron footbridge and head towards the traditional bars serving Apfelwein cider.