Historical Churches Walking Tour (Self Guided), Frankfurt

The Saint Catherine Church (Katherinenkirche), located near the busy Hauptwache Plaza in Frankfurt, is the largest Lutheran church in the city and was constructed between 1678 and 1681.

It stands on the site of a vestal cloister and hospital once run by the Teutonic Knights order. Later, a small parish church was built on the site which gained importance in history because, in 1522, it became the setting of the first protestant sermon in Frankfurt. The church was consecrated in 1681 and dedicated to the martyred Saint Catherine of Alexandria.

The single-vessel hall church had a tower at the side and ornamental gateways; just like many other buildings in the city, it was destroyed during the bombings of 1944. The parishioners and citizens of Frankfurt rebuilt the property in 1954, carefully reconstructing the original exterior, although with a somewhat simpler interior.

Among the well-known parishioners who have worshiped at Ketherinenkirche, over the years, were the likes of the Goethe family; Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was baptized here. Also, near the church, at some point, was the Katharinenpforte prison where, in 1771, a child murderer Susanna Margaretha Brandt was incarcerated. Her beheading strongly affected 22-year-old Goethe, who witnessed it. Later, he used some of the Brandt case details in the ‘Faust’ poem.

Set between the Zeil shopping street and the busy Romerberg square in Frankfurt is the Gothic-style church that dates back to the early Middle Ages. This is a functioning Catholic parish church and is part of the Capuchin monastery. The latter is open to the public and the Capuchin fathers regularly provide food for the needy and homeless near the main building.

The Liebfraukirche was donated by a Frankfurt aristocrat, Wigel von Wanebach, whose epitaph, dated 1322, is found in the church. After his death, Wigel's son and widow, Frog and Catherine of Wanebach, expanded the temple by adding a chapel.

The small church was further enlarged, in 1344, with a three-aisle Gothic hall. In 1415, the church's façade was adorned with what is considered to be its main treasure, a Tympanum, depicting the Adoration of the Magi by local architect Madern Gertheners.

In 1923, the Capuchin religious order took over the building. It was completely destroyed in World War II and remained in ruins until its reconstruction in 1956.

Visitors to the cathedral can spend a few moments of peace and contemplation in the simple yet spiritual ambiance of Liebfrauenkirche amid the busiest neighborhood of Frankfurt.

The Carmelite Monastery is one of the most important medieval religious sites in Frankfurt. Founded in the 13th century by the Carmelite order, it stood within the city’s medieval walls and became part of Frankfurt’s religious and intellectual life. Although the complex was heavily damaged during the air raids of March 1944, it was later carefully reconstructed, allowing visitors to see one of the city’s most significant historic monasteries today.

One of the most remarkable parts of the complex is the cloister, a quiet courtyard surrounded by Gothic arcades. These covered walkways once allowed monks to move between the monastery buildings while remaining within a secluded space used for prayer and daily routines. The cloister walls contain an important artistic treasure: a series of Renaissance frescoes painted between 1513 and 1521 by the German artist Jörg Ratgeb.

These frescoes depict scenes from the life of Christ as well as episodes from the history of the Carmelite order. They are considered some of the most significant surviving Renaissance wall paintings in Germany, even though they had to be extensively restored after the war. Today the monastery buildings also house the Institute for City History, Frankfurt’s municipal archive, where historical documents and records about the city are preserved.

Located close to the River Main and the historic center, the Carmelite Monastery offers a quieter historical stop than the nearby major squares. Its reconstructed cloister, medieval foundations, and restored fresco cycle make it one of the most interesting places to explore Frankfurt’s religious and artistic heritage.

The oval-shaped church of Saint Paul in the Zeil district of Frankfurt is easily spotted for its red sandstone exterior. Formerly a protestant temple, it was built between 1789 and 1833 to serve the local Evangelical Lutheran congregation. Still, more than for its religious service and architecture, this neoclassical-style edifice is renowned for its role in the shaping of German democracy.

In 1848, during the so-called German revolutions, the Frankfurt Parliament convened here, being the first publicly and freely-elected German legislative body. The parliamentarians chose the building because of its typical Protestant centralized design, allowing everybody to easily hear the speaker.

In 1848, the National Assembly met inside the church for the first time and was therefore named the Paulskirchenparlament. Representatives from Germany and Austria worked on the premises until 1849 to draft a Charter of Basic Rights and a Constitution for a united Germany on the basis of popular self-determination. The attempt subsequently failed and the building resumed service as a church.

During WWII, Paulskirsche suffered extensive damage from bombings. After the war, its exterior was painstakingly restored, while the interior was somewhat simplified. Nonetheless, the striking feature of the interior is a modern mural depicting the procession of the people’s representatives into Paulskrische which today stands as the symbol of German democracy.

Presently, the building is used as a venue for various events and exhibitions including the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade and the Goethe Prize by the city of Frankfurt. The hall on the first floor is used for municipal and other functions.

Why You Should Visit:
Free entry, with a wealth of information in English covering the German democratic process.

Tip:
Pop in for the excellent art exhibition in the basement (pieces are for sale but are on the expensive side).
Upstairs you can visit the room in which JFK gave his brief speech in 1963.

Old Saint Nicholas Church stands on the southern edge of Römerberg, Frankfurt’s historic market square, and is one of the oldest surviving buildings in the Old Town. The church dates back to the 13th century, when a small chapel was built near the busy trade route that crossed the River Main. Its location beside the square meant that merchants, travelers, and city officials regularly passed through this area, making the church closely connected to the daily life of medieval Frankfurt.

The present structure largely reflects late Gothic architecture from the 15th century. From Römerberg Square, you can easily recognize the church by its slender tower and steep rooflines, which stand out among the surrounding historic buildings. The tower also houses a carillon, a set of tuned bells that are played at regular times during the day. Their sound carries across the square and has become part of the atmosphere of Frankfurt’s historic center.

Inside you’ll notice that the interior feels modest compared with the nearby Frankfurt Cathedral. The church has a simple layout with a bright nave and Gothic elements that reflect its medieval origins. Over the centuries, Old Saint Nicholas Church was closely connected to civic ceremonies held in the square and nearby city hall.

Today the church belongs to the Evangelical Church in Frankfurt and continues to host services, concerts, and small events. Its position beside Römerberg Square makes it one of the most recognizable historic buildings in the Old Town.

Frankfurt Cathedral, officially the Cathedral of Saint Bartholomew, is one of the most important historic landmarks in Frankfurt. Built mainly between the 14th and 15th centuries from deep red Main sandstone, the church rises prominently above the surrounding Old Town. Its Gothic tower reaches about 95 meters and remains one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks.

Although it was never a bishop’s seat, the cathedral played a major political role in the Holy Roman Empire. Between 1562 and 1792, ten Holy Roman Emperors were crowned here, giving the church its long-standing nickname, the “Imperial Cathedral.”

Enter through the vestibule, the modern entrance added in 1879 or 1880. From here you can access the cloister, which today houses the Frankfurt Cathedral Museum, as well as the tower hall. Inside the church, the central nave is flanked by two aisles separated by six great Gothic pillars, three on each side, and along the wall of the left aisle you’ll notice several tombs dating from the 16th to the 18th centuries.

Continue toward the High Choir just ahead, built between 1315 and 1349 and one of the best-preserved parts of the cathedral. It survived both the major fire of 1867 and much of the destruction caused by Allied bombing in 1944. At its center stands the high altar, on the left of it you’ll see the Apostles’ Farewell Altar from 1523, while on the right stands the Altar of Our Lady, made in southern Germany in the 15th century. Wooden choir stalls line the walls and are decorated with carved scenes of the Resurrection, reflecting the central Christian theme of redemption and eternal life.

Here you’ll also find one of the cathedral’s most important monuments: the tomb of King Günther von Schwarzburg, the only German king buried in Frankfurt. The tomb shows the king in full armor with a sword and shield, with two lions at his feet. The cathedral also preserves a relic of Saint Bartholomew—part of the apostle’s skull kept here since the 13th century, which helped establish the church as an important religious center in medieval Frankfurt.

Make sure to climb the cathedral tower during your visit. After 328 steps you reach a viewing platform about 66 meters above the ground. From here, you’ll enjoy a beautiful panoramic view over the narrow streets of the reconstructed Old Town, the River Main, and Frankfurt’s modern skyline.

The Dominican Monastery in Frankfurt is the earliest church and Christian monastery in the city. Today, it serves as an exhibition hall and meeting place and is the seat of the Protestant Evangelical Association consisting of Evangelical Churches and Deaneries in the region. The Synod of the Evangelical Church in Hessen and Nassau is convened here, twice a year.

Established in 1233, the monastery was off to a humble beginning. The first Dominican brothers built a small house with four rooms and set about their task of providing religious instruction to the local people. The small house served as an entrance to the monastery.

By the 14th century, the sanctuary had evolved and accommodated numerous scholars, receiving generous donations from citizens in appreciation of the good work performed by the monks. With this, richly decorated monastery buildings, including a chapel, were constructed, featuring Gothic style and made of rubble stone. After the Reformation, the property was taken over by the Lutherans and then, during the secularization period, was apprehended by the municipal authorities and put to various non-religious uses.

The monastery was almost destroyed during WWII. After the war, architect Gustav Scheinpflug designed a new complex – also in Gothic style, but with modern interiors – based on the layout of the old monastery. Only the choir of the Holy Ghost Church remains from the old building.

Each summer, the monastery courtyard plays host to a folk theater show and concerts by the Frankfurt Church Music Association.