Historical strolls in Goethe's country
Frankfurt still has the distinction of being a German literary capital. Indeed, did it not spawn the incomparable Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832), whose birthplace (Goethehaus und Museum) stands on the banks of the Main? And does it not host one of the most prestigious international book fairs in the world? Frankfurt also boasts a thriving cultural scene. Indeed, visitors can choose among 12 museums on the "Museumsufer," or Museum Row, which runs along the southern embankment of the Main between the Eisernensteg and Friedensbrücke bridges. Among them are museums devoted to crafts, film, architecture and modern art, as well as the Judisches (Jewish) Museum, the Senckenberg natural-history museum, the magnificent Städel -- whose rich collection not only comprises paintings by Botticelli, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Rubens and Poussin, but also works by German artists such as Dürer, Holbein, Cranach, Grünewald and Altdorfer -- and last but not least, the Schirn Kunsthalle, to name but the most popular. In fact, Frankfurt is home to no less than 137 museums, which attract 1.4 million people annually, and almost as many art galleries! The Palmengarten is a wonderful oasis of greenery right in the heart of the city. The palm garden features 2,000 species of plants, instructive floral exhibits and a park in which to enjoy various recreational activities. A few major historic sites and monuments have survived the ravages of World War II: the Frankfurt cathedral (13th and 15th century), Paulskirche (St. Paul's church) and the Römerberg (Roman Hill), where Charlemagne (a.k.a. Karl der Grosse, 742-814), king of the Franks, built a fort (Frankonovurd, which means "fort of the Franks"), after which the city was named.