Things to see in Frankfurt

Completely destroyed by Allied bombers in 1944, the house where Goethe (1749-1832) was born and spent most of his youth was rebuilt after the war, in 1951, and restored to its former 18th-century glory. Visitors can see the family music room, library, living room and Goethe's own puppet show and study. 
Next door, the Goethe-Museum is home to some stunning German art, including paintings and sculptures that date from the baroque period of the 16th and 17th century, up to the romantic era of the 1800s. There are daily guided tours of the house (in German) at 1400 and 1600, and audio-visual guides are available to hire in several languages. Tours of the museum can also be arranged on request.

Mon-Sat 1000-1800, Sun 1000-1730.

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Frankfurt's zoo is one of the most attractive in Europe and is very popular with both locals and visitors. It can cram in a massive array of species, while working on breeding programmes for endangered animals such as the rusty-spotted cat, maned wolf and gorilla. Its biggest highlight is the Grzimekhaus, where artificial darkness is created in order to observe nocturnal animals going about their business. The zoo consists of 13 different areas, so visitors can see animals grouped together in similar habitats. As a children-friendly attraction, Frankfurt Zoo is a must for those travelling with kids.

Daily 0900-1900 (summer); daily 0900-1700 (winter).

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The outside of the main building of the Museum of Modern Art (MMK1) alone would count as one of the city's major attractions. A modern architectural counterpoint to Frankfurt’s superb historical buildings, the Museum of Modern Art is worth visiting to admire from the outside alone. Through the main doors, visitors are rewarded with a peerless collection of post–war art, predominantly by German and American artists. There’s work from modern masters including Roy Lichtenstein, Claes Oldenburg, Andy Warhol, Francis Bacon and Joseph Beuys. In addition to its vast permanent collection, the museum also plays host to a series of impressive rolling exhibitions and has an excellent cafe-restaurant for hungry visitors too. The museum has two additional exhibition sites, the MMK 2 (TaunusTurm, Taunustor 1) and the MMK 3 (Domstr. 3). 

MMK 1 / MMK 3: Tues-Sun 1000-1800, Wed 1000-2000.

MMK 2: Tues-Sun 1100-1800, Wed 1100-2000.

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As one of Europe’s finest galleries, Städel is chock full of amazing work from down the ages. As well as showcasing German masters, such as Cranach, Holbein and Beckmann, the gallery has paintings from the likes of Botticelli, Rembrandt, Rubens and Bosch. Its Modern Art wing, which reopened in 2011, focuses on the period from 1800 to 1945 and showcases artists such as Chagall and Klee.

With over 3,000 paintings, 600 sculptures and 1,600 photos, visits can last all day. Thankfully the cafe is top drawer too, so there’s a resting place for weary feet while taking it all in.

Tues-Wed 1000-1800, Thurs-Fri 1000-2100, Sat-Sun 1000-1800.

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In 1240, this low hill was the site of the city's first official trade fair. It’s surrounded by half-timbered houses, reconstructed after they were destroyed in 1945, and the former court chapel - the Nikolaikirche (Church of St Nicholas). The main attraction, however, is the Rathaus Römer (Frankfurt's city hall since 1405) with its Gothic stepped gables made of red sandstone. The coronation of German emperors was celebrated in the Kaisersaal (Emperor's Hall) on the upper floors and portraits of 52 emperors hang on the walls. It is still a working town hall, however, so unfortunately there are no dedicated tours.

Römerberg is also home to one of Germany’s best Christmas markets, which has taken place each December since the 14th century.

Daily 24 hours.

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