Frankfurt

1 - The city of Frankfurt lies on the River Main. To distinguish it from Frankfurt an der Oder, the city is usually referred to as Frankfurt/Main. It is the largest city in Hesse. At the end of 2022, it had a total population of 773,068. Frankfurt/Main is Germany’s fifth-largest city, after Berlin, Hamburg, Munich and Cologne.

2 - Frankfurt am Main grew up at a spot where there was a shallow crossing over the River Main, called a ford. In 794, Charlemagne invited other leaders and clergy to an assembly of the realm in “Franconofurd.” His successors had a royal palace built there. It consisted of a large stone hall, as well as residential and farm buildings. Royal palaces provided accommodation for the king or emperor and his entourage as they travelled through the realm. There were more than 100 of them, with the most important in Aachen, Ingelheim and Paderborn.

3 - The emperors and kings of the Holy Roman Empire were elected in Frankfurt Cathedral between 1438 and 1806. This was the name given to the confederation of states that made up Germany at the time. The election was in the hands of seven prince-electors, including the Archbishops of Mainz, Cologne and Trier. Because of these elections, Frankfurt Cathedral is still known today as the Emperor's Cathedral. It is dedicated to the Apostle Bartholomew.

4 - Around 43,000 businesses were counted in Frankfurt in 2021. The biggest employers are Fraport AG, which operates the airport, construction group Bilfinger and DB Regio AG. Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank and Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen have their headquarters in Frankfurt, and many other banks have branches there. The European Central Bank in Frankfurt sets interest rates for the European Community countries that use the euro as their currency. Shares and other securities are traded on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

5 - Frankfurt's city hall is called the Römer. It is located on the Römerberg, the heart of the city. The name probably comes from the Italian merchants who sold their goods there in the Middle Ages. Today, receptions are sometimes held here for successful football teams.

6 - St. Paul's Church was once a Protestant parish church. On 18 May 1848, representatives from all the German states gathered here to discuss a liberal constitution and the formation of a united state. They adopted basic rights for all German citizens. However, the assembly failed because the ruling princes of the time did not recognise the resolutions of the National Assembly. Today, events of national importance are occasionally held at St. Paul's Church. For example, the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade is awarded here every year.

7 - At the end of World War II, around 90 percent of all buildings in Frankfurt had been destroyed or badly damaged. It took a long time to rebuild the city. Since then, numerous buildings in the old town have been reconstructed to look as they once did. This district is now known as the New Old Town.