A post about Frankfurt... finally!

Hello, everyone! Can you believe it's November already?!  This year has flown by, and it will be 2009 before we know it.  That's why we are trying to enjoy the fall weather here in Frankfurt before the long, cold winter comes... I think it is going to be quite a shock to us after spending the last several "winters" in San Diego.  Oh well, hopefully we will survive :)

So in my last post I mentioned that we went on a walking tour of Frankfurt a few weeks ago.  I figure it is about time to finally post about our new hometown, especially after already writing all about other cities and countries.  So here are some photos and interesting facts about Frankfurt from the tour...

First up, the "birthplace" of Frankfurt (top left)... these Roman baths, which are located in the heart of the city, were part of the first settlement ever in the area.  Doing a 180 degree turn will bring you face to face with St. Bartholomew's Cathedral (top right).  This is where emperors were elected and crowned during the Holy Roman Empire.  (According to our tour guide, the renovations on the steeple have been ongoing for 6 years now.)  Once inside the cathedral you see this dramatic crucifix, which allegedly contains a part of the original cross.  Finally, the last picture shows the back of the cathedral.

The white tower is called the Saalhoff and is the last remnant of the first palace ever built in Frankfurt, dating back to the 12th century.  Just beyond it is the Main River, hence why the city is called "Frankfurt am Main."  And here we are enjoying the view... that is the steeple of the Three Kings Church behind us.  While it was very cloudy the day of our tour, the river can be quite picturesque when it is sunny out.

While having roots that stretch deep into the past, Frankfurt is also a very modern city, as can be seen in the combination of historical architecture and skyscrapers.  One reason for this is because after all the destruction that occurred during World War II, the city was largely modernized, in contrast with other German towns.  Seen in the bottom photo is the last original timberwood house in Frankfurt, which is what most houses looked like before the war, but all but this one were destroyed.

These are shots of the Romer, the city center.  It is called this because it is where the Roman merchants once lived.  The timberwood houses seen here were actually only recreated about twenty years ago.  The building in the background at bottom left is the City Hall.... it showcases classic German architecture, which is actually not very common in Frankfurt.  And the Church of St. Nicholas is also located in the Romer (yep, as in Santa Claus :)

We also visited the Jewish Holocaust Memorial during our tour.  Over 11,000 Jews who were born in, lived in, or were deported from Frankfurt and then murdered during the Holocaust are honored in the memorial.  Anne Frankfurt was born in Frankfurt, so she is honored here.  Each person is remembered with their own small plaque.  According to Jewish custom, rather than placing flowers, which wither and die, rocks are placed on headstones, as they will last forever.

As one of Europe's financial headquarters, Frankfurt boasts one of the world's largest stock exchanges (top left).  It also has a beautiful opera house, called the Alte Oper (top right), which is supposed to emulate the opera house in Paris... it does look somewhat like a small version of it.  While Frankfurt is quite metropolitan with lots of hustle and bustle, it is also possible to find spots of tranquility, such as this peaceful little plaza in the midst of downtown.  

Toward the end of our tour, we visited the last remaining tower and section of the city's ancient wall.  The tower is only about a mile away from our apartment.  There is actually another landmark very close to our place... Frankfurt's very own version of the Space Needle.  The shot on the left is the view of it from just outside our apartment building, and the other is from another spot in our neighborhood.

While it is not quite as graceful as the one in Seattle, Frankfurt's needle definitely helps us know when we are close to home.  Well, I guess that completes this "tour."  I hope you have enjoyed learning about Frankfurt.  If you would like to come and see the sites of Frankfurt in person, just let us know!