Germany

Frankfurt

The Romerberg is the historic heart of Frankfurt and one of the most picturesque squares in Germany. Its row of half-timbered houses, the medieval Romer city hall, and the central Fountain of Justice have been the city's gathering place for over 600 years.

The Romer, the complex of three stepped-gable houses that serves as Frankfurt's city hall, was purchased by the city council on March 11, 1405, and has been the seat of government ever since. During the Holy Roman Empire, the Kaisersaal (Emperor's Hall) on the second floor hosted coronation banquets, and portraits of 52 emperors still line the walls.

In the 16th century, the Romerberg was considered the most beautiful square in the Holy Roman Empire. The square's centrepiece, the Gerechtigkeitsbrunnen (Fountain of Justice), dates to 1543 and features the figure of Justitia holding her scales, unusually without a blindfold.

In March 1944, Allied bombing obliterated the entire old town district. What you see today is a faithful reconstruction completed between the 1950s and 1980s. The half-timbered facades along the Ostzeile (east row) were meticulously rebuilt to match their pre-war appearance.

The Romerberg hosts Frankfurt's famous Christmas market, one of the oldest and largest in Germany, attracting over 3 million visitors each year.

If you're on a Questo quest through Frankfurt, the Romerberg is where 600 years of German history, from imperial banquets to wartime destruction to painstaking reconstruction, are written into every facade.

Romerberg

Römerberg

Opened in 1986, the Schirn Kunsthalle is Frankfurt's most acclaimed contemporary art museum, with a striking modernist design of interlocking geometric forms. The main exhibition space is a 140-meter-long, 10-meter-wide gallery running like a gallery through the heart of the building, inspired by Renaissance ideals. Over 250 exhibitions have presented works by everyone from Bill Viola to Jeff Koons. The Schirn sits between the Römer and Cathedral in the Museum Riverbank district. With Questo, you can explore how a 1980s building became one of Europe's most important exhibition venues.

Schirn Museum

Only three towers remain from the medieval fortress that once ringed Frankfurt, and the Rententurm is the best preserved. Built in 1454-1456, its stone foundations rest on walls from Emperor Frederick Barbarossa's palace in 1150. That means 800 years of history stack in this single tower. Medieval merchants paid customs duties at this gate to enter the port; power and commerce intersected here. Now part of the Historical Museum, you can walk through layers of time. A Questo city game leads you through Frankfurt's transformation from medieval fortress city to modern metropolis.

Rententurm Main

Goethe House

Stand beneath the 95-meter red sandstone tower of Frankfurt's most powerful building. For over 650 years, German emperors were crowned and elected here, with the intimate Election Chapel holding the fate of nations. The cathedral has risen from devastation twice: once after a fire in 1867, again after World War II bombing. Today, you can climb 328 steps to panoramic city views. A Questo city game takes you through the coronation altar and hidden spaces where history was made, connecting you to the moment when Imperial power was transferred to new rulers.

Kaiserdom St. Bartholomäus

The Eiserner Steg (Iron Bridge) is Frankfurt's most iconic pedestrian bridge, connecting the Old Town on the north bank of the Main River to the Sachsenhausen district on the south.

The original bridge was built in 1868 through public subscription, a neo-Gothic wrought-iron structure that represented Frankfurt's industrial ambitions. It was replaced in 1911-1912 with a larger steel cantilever bridge, 170 metres long with riveted trusses and two bridge piers.

In the final days of World War II, the Wehrmacht blew up the bridge to slow the Allied advance. It was rapidly rebuilt in 1946, becoming one of the first structures restored in a city that had been devastated by bombing. The bridge's quick reconstruction made it a symbol of Frankfurt's resilience and determination to rebuild.

The most recent renovation was in 1993. Today, the bridge is a popular spot for walking, photography, and enjoying views of the Frankfurt skyline, which rises dramatically on the north bank. Looking north, you see the cluster of skyscrapers that earn Frankfurt its nickname "Mainhattan." Looking south, you see the leafy Sachsenhausen neighbourhood, known for its apple wine taverns and the Museumsufer (Museum Embankment), a string of 13 museums along the river.

The bridge is free to cross and accessible at any time. If you're on a Questo quest through Frankfurt, the Eiserner Steg gives you one of the best vantage points in the city, with old and new Frankfurt on display from the middle of the river.

Main Iron Bridge

Goethe Monument

Brunnen am Kaiserplatz 

Modern and gleaming, this globe sculpture sits along the Main River in Frankfurt's Museum Embankment district, a symbolic marker of global unity and cultural exchange. It represents contemporary Frankfurt's vision of itself as a bridge between cultures and nations. The riverside location offers stunning views while inviting reflection on interconnectedness. With Questo, you can discover how this public art landmark contrasts with historic monuments nearby, embodying how cities evolve and what they choose to celebrate about their identity and future.

Mainkai Globe

Marshall-Brunnen

Alte Oper

At the heart of Frankfurt's historic Römerberg square stands the Justitia fountain, a bronze goddess holding scales and sword, symbolizing fair judgment and justice. Since 1543, this fountain has marked the center of Frankfurt's civic life, surrounded by beautifully reconstructed medieval buildings. The Justitia figure represents Frankfurt's legal traditions and commitment to justice. With Questo, you can explore the square's architecture and history, learning why this fountain mattered to generations of Frankfurters as a symbol of law, order, and civic values.

Fountain of St. George

Frau Rauscher was an apple wine devotee from Frankfurt folklore who became so famous that a fountain was built to remember her. The legend says she'd spit apple wine back at anyone who complained. In 1961, Frankfurt immortalized her with a fountain that does the same: it spits water onto the street, drenching unsuspecting pedestrians. The Klappergasse alley where it sits still buzzes with traditional apple wine taverns. With Questo, you can discover how folklore shapes a city's identity, why Frankfurt celebrates this irreverent figure, and how a community keeps legends alive through public art and tradition.

Fountain of Frau Rauscher

Germany's oldest museum foundation, established in 1815 by banker Johann Friedrich Städel, houses one of the country's most important art collections. Imagine 700 years of European art under one roof: from Late Gothic to Renaissance masters like Dürer and Botticelli, through Dutch Golden Age treasures including Rembrandt's Blinding of Samson and Vermeer's Geographer, to Impressionists, Modernists, and contemporary works. The permanent collection tells the story of artistic evolution. With Questo, you can discover how a 19th-century vision of democratic access to great art created an institution still shaping how we experience beauty.

Städel Museum

In 1848, 600 delegates gathered here to attempt something radical: creating German democracy. The circular architecture was revolutionary, allowing every voice to be heard and every face to be seen. This didn't work the first time, but it mattered. After World War II, St. Paul's Church was the first building rebuilt, a deliberate act of symbolism, saying that democracy would rise again. With Questo, you can explore the assembly hall where a nation imagined itself as free, where ideals about liberty and equality were first written down in German political history.

<ul><li>Democratic Birthplace: Hosted the first German National Assembly in 1848, a pivotal moment in German political history.</li><li>Architectural Note: Renowned for its circular design and neoclassical architecture, providing a unique aesthetic in contrast to traditional church structures.</li><li>Cultural Significance: Continues to host important cultural and political events, reinforcing its role in promoting democratic values.</li></ul>

Cradle of German Democracy: St. Paul's Church

Old Town Frankfurt: The Missing Treasure

Explore where German democracy was born. In 1848, the Frankfurt Assembly created the first German constitution in this historic circular hall.

St. Paul's Church, Frankfurt — Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

Over St. Paul's Church

Plan Your Visit

Frequently asked questions

Explore St. Paul's Church with a Questo quest

Museum Mysterium: The Guardians of Frankfurts Museumsufer