I planned an 11 hour layover in Frankfurt Germany on my way to South Africa in March 2010. And I hooked up with CouchSurfer Sue who really knew her history and gave me an excellent seven hour walking tour of the city. Old and new architecture exists in harmony.
Chinesischer Garten
The Chinese “Garden of Heavenly Peace” in Bethmannpark was created in 1990 in memory of the victims of the Tiananmen Square massacre. Shielded by thick walls, the entrances are guarded by Chinese lions. The garden features a temple, pagoda and the beautifully carved Jade Bridge all designed according to the principles of feng shui by Chinese craftsmen. This isolated space in the city offers a place of serenity, for people and wildlife. Look closely for the heron being photographed.
Staufenmauer Wall
This is all that remains of the Roman fortification built around the city in 1180 to protect it from attack. This part was restored after the 18th century fire in the Jewish Ghetto.
Remnants of a Roman empire seen in these excavated ruins include parts of a Roman bath and a twelfth-century royal palace, thought to have been the favorite residence of the East Franconian kings during that century.
On one side of the ruins rises the mighty steeple of St. Bartholomeus’ Cathedral constructed in the 14th and 15th centuries on the foundation of an earlier church. In 1867, the cathedral was destroyed by a fire and rebuilt in its present style.
At the heart of the city lies the historic Romerberg which was reconstructed in the 1980s based on its original design of the 17th century city center which was completely leveled by bombs during WWII. The above buildings were the only to survive the war.
The River Main
This tributary of the Rhine provides navigation for the inland waterway link from the North Sea to the Black Sea.
Movie on the bathroom floor
There was much to see in Frankfurt am Main and too little time for it all. We only went into the Museum of Modern Art to use the restrooms, according to Sue a must see. I spent enough time to watch the entire short film clip of a woman dancing in a garden that was projected on the stall floor. Why didn’t I take video?
We got to the top of the center building just in time to catch sunset over what is called the “Mainhattan” skyline.
Located on the River Main, Frankfurt is the financial capital of Continental Europe and the transportation center of Germany. I didn’t venture into the modern part of the city, yet thoroughly enjoyed historic parts of Frankfurt. So now it’s on my “return to” list.