Frankfurt Sightseeing: Römerberg to Domturm
Frankfurt Sightseeing: Römerberg to Domturm
Frankfurt’s sightseeing core is small enough to cover in a day, and it runs in a line from the old town square to the cathedral tower, over an iron bridge and up a skyscraper. Several of these sights are rebuilds, which is part of the story.
Römerberg and the Römer
The Römerberg is the square in front of the Römer, Frankfurt’s city hall since 1405, with its step-gabled front. On the upper floor, the Kaisersaal holds 52 portraits of the Holy Roman Emperors from Charlemagne to Francis II. Opening depends on city events, so check at the entrance. In March 1944 Allied bombing flattened the medieval centre, and the timber-framed houses on the square today are reconstructions.
The Neue Altstadt
Between the Römer and the cathedral, the DomRömer quarter was built between 2012 and 2018 and opened on 9 May 2018. Its 15 patrician houses were re-created from archive plans, and the 20 other buildings are new in a matching style. Look for the carved Goldene Waage of 1618 and the Rotes Haus. Walking through is free.
Kaiserdom and the Domturm
The Kaiserdom St. Bartholomäus at Domplatz 1 is a red-sandstone Gothic church from the 13th to 15th centuries. The Golden Bull of 1356 made it the election site of the Holy Roman Emperors, and ten were crowned here. The nave is free. The tower climb is 328 steps up a 95-metre spire built between 1415 and 1514, and costs €3 for adults and €2 reduced. There is no lift. Visit dom-frankfurt.de for opening times.
Paulskirche
On Paulsplatz, the round neoclassical church of 1833 hosted the Frankfurt Parliament of 1848 and 1849, the first freely elected national assembly of the German states. Entry is free. It is also the venue for the annual Peace Prize of the German Book Trade.
Eiserner Steg
The Eiserner Steg is a 170-metre iron suspension footbridge opened on 29 September 1869 and inscribed with a line from Homer’s Odyssey. It connects the Altstadt with Sachsenhausen and is open all day and night. From the middle the skyscrapers rise behind the river. Padlocks have been cut away during bridge works, so treat it as a viewpoint, not a place to leave a lock.
Main Tower for the view
The platform at Neue Mainzer Straße 52 sits at about 200 metres, with an open terrace and enclosed sections. Adults pay €9 and the reduced fare is €6. Summer hours reach 23:00 on Friday and Saturday, and winter hours close Sunday to Thursday at 19:00. Check maintower.de for the day’s schedule. It closes in bad weather.
History at the Jewish Museum
The Jewish Museum Frankfurt at Bertha-Pappenheim-Platz 1 is open Tuesday and Wednesday and Friday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00, and Thursday from 10:00 to 20:00. It is closed on Mondays.
Moving around
A single RMV ticket costs €3.80, and a day ticket costs €7.75. Watch your bags near the Hauptbahnhof. If you want a guide, you can compare Frankfurt sightseeing tours on GetYourGuide . The walking tours page lays out three routes through these sights.
Tip: climb the Domturm in the morning and save Main Tower for the last hour of daylight.