The financial center of Germany, one of the largest cities in the country, tourist and cultural Klondike - all this is about Frankfurt am Main. Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit the city every year to plunge into the unique atmosphere of a modern metropolis that carefully protects its past. Temples, cathedrals and mosques in Frankfurt am Main remain in the ranking of the most visited places by foreigners. Large and small, gothic and modern - they not only amaze the imagination with their architecture, but also tell the history of religion in Germany.
Cathedral of St. Bartholomew
Cathedral of St. Bartholomew (Domplatz, 1) has several names at once: it is called imperial, and also simply Frankfurt.
The temple has the status of the largest cathedral in the city. It was here that the coronation ceremonies of the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire were previously held.
The first mentions of the chapel on the site of the present cathedral can be found in written documents from the times of the Roman Empire (before 260). In the 6th century, the Merovingian palace chapel functioned here, after it and up to the 9th century - the Carolingian palace chapel. Finally, in the 11th century, the Basilica of the Savior opened its doors.
In the XII century, the building was destroyed and rebuilt, from that time the era of the modern Cathedral of St. Bartholomew began.
The temple survived a fire in 1867 and a bombing raid during World War II.
Saint Bartholomew has been considered the patron saint of the temple since 1239; the upper part of the apostle's skull is recognized as the most valuable relic of the temple.
Old Nicholas Church (Alte Nikolaikirche)
The medieval Lutheran Church of St. Nicholas is located in the Altstadt district, in the southern part of the Römerberg square. In 1260, a chapel was built on the site of the temple, at that time it belonged to the nearby Shtoferplats palace.
The modern building was erected in the 15th century in the Renaissance style, the walls are made of light stone, decorated with red decorative elements. For the past few centuries, the Church of St. Nicholas has been used as a chapel for the city council.
The high tower, open to tourists and residents of the city, allows you to observe the Römerberg. Its opening hours coincide with the hours when the church itself is open: from 9:00 until the end of services, starting at 18:00. Initially, the tower was built so that the sentry could send signals to ships sailing along the river. Church bells are ringing three times a day.
Located along Berliner Strasse, 44-46.
Church of St. Justin
Justinuskirche, as the locals call it, is the oldest building in Frankfurt am Main and one of the oldest churches in all of Germany. It has been used as a temple for over a century. The Benedictines, and later even the Anthonites, celebrated their masses here.
Each generation brought something of its own to the appearance of the temple: figures of saints were created from wood, crosses multiplied in the Baroque style. But the appearance of the church of St. Justin practically did not change; in the Middle Ages, the building was expanded with Gothic choirs, altars and side chapels. All other architectural changes were cosmetic in nature.
Among the significant events associated with the temple, we will mention the consecration of the newly erected basilica by the Archbishop of Mainz Raban Mavr, one of the most significant scientists of his time. And in 1024, a synod of all vicars took place in the church.
Inside the temple there is an old baroque altar. It was executed by the master Johann Weiss in 1726, depicting Saint Joseph with the baby Jesus on the left, the Saint Augustine church teacher on the right and the patroness of the temple Margaret, executed in 305 for her faith, in the center.
In the eastern part of the chapel there is a full-length figure of the founder of the Order of Anthony, made in 1484.
We advise you to pay attention to the inspection of the garden with aromatic and medicinal herbs, it is located right behind the basilica. The church operates at Justinusplatz, 3 from 8:00 to 23:00.
St. Paul's Church
St. Paul's Church at Paulsplatz 11 was considered the main Lutheran church in the city. The modern building was built between 1789 and 1833 on the site of a demolished medieval chapel. At that time, the hall of the new church was considered the largest in the city, therefore, it was in it that the deputies of the National Assembly, the first democratically elected German parliament, sat.
In the Church of St. Paul, many laws were passed that are included in the modern constitution of the republic. Therefore, in Frankfurt, the church is considered a symbol of German democracy.
Unfortunately, the temple was destroyed to the ground in 1944 during the bombing of the city. However, the residents of the city did their best to restore the building as soon as possible.
The second birthday of St. Paul's Church took place in 1948, on the centenary of the Frankfurt congregation. Since then, the Church of St. Paul has become a national monument; inside there is a museum with exhibits telling about the role of the temple in the life of the city, and public receptions are periodically held. The German Bookseller Prize is also awarded here. The museum is open from 10:00 to 17:00, the temple is open until the end of the most recent services.
St. Paul's Church (Paulskirche) is located between tram stops Römer and Paulskirche, route 11 or 12 is suitable.
Dreikönigskirche
The Dreikönigskirche Church, or, as it is also called, the Temple of the Three Magi, is Protestant (Lutheran). Located on the banks of the Main River, the Sachsenhäuser Ufer street can serve as a landmark. Opens from 10:00 am until late - some services start at 10:00 pm and later.
In 1340, a hospital and a chapel were located on the site of the church.
The temple was built by Franz-Joseph von Denzinger and is a building with a vaulted main nave and side structures in the Gothic style. In 1956, Charles Crodel installed a unique stained-glass window here, and in 1961 a new organ was placed in the temple. The instrument appeared in the Dreikönigskirche Church through the efforts of Karl Schuke.
St. Leonard church
St. Leonard's Church was built in 1219 near the Main River, along Schaefergasse Street (on the section of the road between Alte Gasse and Elefantengasse).
The first building was a small Romanesque basilica. In 1425, the church was completed and expanded using Gothic architectural motives.
It is noteworthy that St. Leonard Church was the only of nine churches in the old part of the city not damaged during the bombing of Frankfurt during the Second World War.
Today it functions as a Catholic parish church for English-speaking believers. Open from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm and later if services are scheduled.
St. Bonifatiuskirche
The Church of St. Boniface is located at Holbeinstraße, 70. The date of its construction is considered to be 1927, when the construction of the building designed by Martin Weber was finally completed. The temple was created in the style of the so-called brick expressionism - the style direction of expressionism, involving the use of brick as the main material. It is considered the first Catholic church building in Frankfurt in the Art Nouveau style.
In 1948, the building was damaged after raids during the battles of World War II. Subsequently, during the restoration, the interior of the temple was changed several times.
The 1987 reconstruction was directed by Richard Weiler. He set out to return the temple to the appearance of the Expressionist period, as well as to make it more youthful. As a result, the benches were replaced with seats, in addition, an additional altar was installed inside, around which the chairs are placed in a circle. Since 2005, St. Bonifatiuskirche hosts services and meetings of the Catholic Youth Church JONA.
St. Dionysius Church
The construction of the Church of St. Dionysius was completed in 1827. Catholic services are held on Sundays. A low-rise, light-colored church next to the Gothic clock tower. Located at Huthmacherstraße, 17-19.
Many travelers claim that the inside of the temple is much more interesting than the outside.The vaulted ceiling in the hall is supported by massive columns, the images of Jesus on the cross are painted on the wall behind the altar, and statues of God, the Virgin Mary, are placed on the sides.
The church is open from 8:00 to 20:00.
Katharinenkirche
St. Catherine's Church is the main Lutheran cathedral of modern Frankfurt am Main. It is located in the very center of the city, so many people find Katharinenkirche by accident. Built in the Baroque style in 1681, the church is also known for being christened Goethe here, and it is also considered the official center of church music throughout Frankfurt.
In 1944, St. Catherine's Cathedral did not survive the bombing: it was rebuilt and renovated by 1955, but part of the original interior was not preserved.
In 2021, the builders restored the temple's high spire. The height of the entire building is 54 meters. Today the temple is open to parishioners on weekdays and weekends from 9:00 to 20:00.
Noor Mosque
The Nur Mosque is famous for the fact that the boxer Muhammad Ali once prayed here. It was founded in 1959 by Muhammad Zafrulla Khan and became the third mosque in Germany. It is a one-story white-green building of a semicircular shape.
Located at Babenhäuser Landstraße, 25, 60599 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Nowadays, tourists quite often find the mosque closed. To clarify the possibility of an excursion, it is advised to contact the administration by phone +49 800 2107758.
Russian Orthodox Church
The Russian Orthodox Church in Frankfurt am Main is represented by the Parish of the Holy Martyr Cyprian and Martyr Justina. Services are held at the St. Mathias Kirche, leased by the Russian Orthodox Church. The building is located near the Hauptbahnhof / Messegelände, at Friedrich-Ebert-Anlage 33, 60327 Frankfurt-am-Main.
The landmark can be the Frankfurt Exhibition Center, the church is located a few minutes walk from the main train station. Made in green, it has two towers, both crowned with crosses.
You can get to the service of the Russian Orthodox Church by finding out the start time of the event on the official website.
Conclusion
Frankfurt am Main is rich in religious sights. This city will surely interest people studying the Middle Ages and architecture. After all, many local churches, mosques and cathedrals were built in the XII-XVI centuries, and the Cathedral of St. Justin dates back to the 9th century. Be sure to check out the Church of St. Bartholomew, where in the old days kings became emperors of the Holy Roman Empire.
In addition, in Frankfurt you will find Gothic, Classical, Romanesque buildings and even Art Nouveau churches.
