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Frankfurt celebrates its new Old Town

September 28, 2018

The construction hoardings were removed in May and now the big housewarming party is taking place. About half a million visitors are expected at the opening of Frankfurt's reconstructed Old Town this weekend.

https://p.dw.com/p/35W78
Deutschland Eröffnung neue Altstadt in Frankfurt am Main
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/B. Roessler

In addition to historical reconstructions of the medieval buildings that once stood between Römerberg square and Frankfurt Cathedral,  modern buildings have erected.  Frankfurt has revived its new old town center, including narrow lanes, fountains, timber-frame buildings and gold highlights.  

The area, dubbed the DomRömer Quarter, has been open to the public since May, and since then visitors have flocked there. Except for the “Red House” on the old market, all the buildings are wheelchair accessible, although often a side entrance has to be used or a ramp requested.

This weekend, the people of Frankfurt will be celebrating their Old Town in style with their guests.  The party started on Friday at 10 am, with an invitation-only ceremony in St. Paul's Church. At 5 pm, for everyone, the tower brass players will appear on the balcony of the Römer and a staged coronation procession will form.

Deutschland - neue Altstadt in Frankfurt am Main
Frankfurt's "House of the Golden Scales" is one of the most important half-timbered buildings in EuropeImage: picture-alliance/Arco Images/G. Thielmann

There are plays and performance art, concerts, guided tours through the Old Town and a drone ballet in the night sky over Frankfurt, choreographed especially for the occasion.  From the city center to the Main river, there's a multifaceted cultural and musical program on two stages. Frankfurt's local government has spent about 1.5 million euros for the new Old Town's housewarming bash. 

The Institute for the History of Frankfurt, the Stadthaus community and events center, the  Historical Museum, the Schirn Kunsthalle exhibition hall, the Archaeological Museum and the MMK museum of modern art are also all preparing to welcome interested visitors.

is/ks/ms (dpa, altstadtfest-frankfurt.de)