Frankfurt Then and Now

Frankfurt Then

Frankfurt am Main, a prominent city in the Hessen region of western Germany, has a name with deep historical roots. 

The earliest known references to the city are from 794, under the names Frankonovurd (Old High German) and Vadum Francorum (Latin), both reflecting its connection to the Franks, a Germanic tribe. 

The name itself is believed to derive from Franconofurd, meaning “the ford of the Franks,” where the river was shallow enough to be crossed on foot. 

This suggests a strategic location for the settlement, positioned near a crossing of the Main River. 

Historian David Gans suggests that the city’s name might have been established around 146 AD by a Frankish king named Zuna, though this theory contradicts archaeological evidence pointing to earlier Roman occupation of the area. 

Over centuries, the name evolved, transforming through various forms, including Frankenfort, Franckfort, and Franckfurth during the Middle Ages and modern era. 

By the 19th century, Frankfurt became the standardized spelling, although the older English version, Frankfort, is still used for other cities, particularly in the United States, such as Kentucky, New York, and Illinois. 

The transition in English usage from Frankfort to Frankfurt was notably made by The New York Times in 1953, marking the official adoption of the modern spelling.

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Frankfurt History

Frankfurt am Main, one of Germany’s most historic cities, has a rich and diverse past that stretches back to Celtic and Germanic settlements in the 1st century BCE, followed by Roman remains from the 1st and 2nd centuries CE. 

The city’s name, meaning “Ford of the Franks,” likely originated around 500 CE when the Franks drove the Alemanni south. 

The first written mention of Frankfurt, or Franconofurt, was recorded by Einhard, the biographer of Charlemagne, in the late 8th century. 

Over the centuries, Frankfurt became a significant political center in medieval Europe, serving as the site of royal residences, castles, and important political events. 

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The Hohenstaufen dynasty established a castle in the city in the 12th century, and in 1152, Frederick I (Barbarossa) was elected king there. 

In 1356, the Golden Bull established Frankfurt as the permanent location for the election of German kings, cementing its role as a key political hub.

By the late Middle Ages, Frankfurt was a free imperial city, a status it maintained until 1806, when Napoleon I made it the seat of government for the prince primate of the Confederation of the Rhine. 

In 1810, Frankfurt became the capital of the Grand Duchy of Frankfurt under Napoleon. 

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After the fall of Napoleon in 1815, the city regained its free-city status and became the site of the 1848–49 Frankfurt National Assembly, which marked an important chapter in the development of modern Germany. 

Frankfurt remained an independent city until its annexation by Prussia in 1866, following the Seven Weeks’ War. 

With the integration of Frankfurt into a unified Germany, the city rapidly industrialized and became a major center for trade, finance, and commerce.

Historically, Frankfurt’s Old Town was one of the largest and best-preserved medieval city centers in Germany. 

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However, much of the Old Town, including its famous Römer city hall, was destroyed during Allied bombing in 1944. 

The city was rebuilt with modern structures, but the Römer and other historic landmarks, such as the Eschenheimer Tower and the red sandstone Cathedral of St. Bartholomew, remain iconic symbols of Frankfurt’s past. 

The city is also home to Paulskirche, which hosted the first Frankfurt National Assembly, a significant event in German history.

Frankfurt has long been a center for international trade, hosting trade fairs since 1240, including the renowned Frankfurt Book Fair. 

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The city became a major financial center with the establishment of its stock exchange in 1585, and it remains home to the European Central Bank. 

The Rothschild family, which established a global banking empire, also had roots in Frankfurt. 

Today, Frankfurt is an international hub for commerce, with a thriving economy that includes industries such as automobiles, machinery, pharmaceuticals, and high-technology products. 

The city’s culinary traditions are best known for frankfurters, the world-famous sausages.

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Frankfurt is also a crucial transportation hub. It serves as a key stop for river, rail, and road traffic, particularly for routes connecting southern Germany with northern regions. 

The Main River has been canalized since the 1880s, turning Frankfurt into an important inland shipping port. 

Frankfurt Airport, the largest in Germany and one of the busiest in Europe, further cements the city’s role as a global transportation nexus.

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Culturally, Frankfurt offers a wealth of attractions. The Johann Wolfgang Goethe University, established in 1914, is one of the largest universities in Germany. 

The city is home to some of the country’s finest museums, including the Städel Art Institute, the Senckenberg Natural History Museum, and the Liebieghaus Museum of Sculpture. 

The birthplace of famed writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was destroyed in World War II but has been carefully restored and now includes the Goethe Museum and Library, attracting visitors from around the world.

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Frankfurt Now

Frankfurt am Main is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and holds the distinction of being the fifth-most populous city in Germany, with a population of 773,068 as of 2022. 

The city is strategically located in the foreland of the Taunus mountain range, positioned along the Main River. 

Frankfurt forms a continuous urban area with the neighboring city of Offenbach am Main, creating a metropolitan conurbation that houses over 2.7 million people. 

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The city serves as the center of the larger Rhine-Main metropolitan region, which boasts a population of more than 5.8 million, making it the second-largest metropolitan region in Germany and the fourth-largest in the European Union by GDP.

As a key financial hub, Frankfurt is home to the European Central Bank (ECB), which plays a critical role in managing the euro and the European Union’s monetary policy. 

This places the city at the heart of the EU’s financial infrastructure, even though it lies about 90 km northwest of the EU’s geographic center. 

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Frankfurt’s central business district, with its impressive skyline of towering skyscrapers, has earned the nickname “Mainhattan,” a nod to both its location on the Main River and its resemblance to New York’s Manhattan. 

The city’s skyline is one of the most iconic in Europe, dominated by some of the continent’s tallest buildings.

In addition to its financial prowess, Frankfurt is a major cultural and educational center. 

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The city is home to prominent institutions such as Goethe University, Hesse’s largest hospital, Universitätsklinikum Frankfurt, and other academic centers like FUAS and FUMPA. 

Frankfurt is also a hub for the German National Library, which, alongside its counterpart in Leipzig, is one of the largest libraries in the German-speaking world. 

The city boasts a wide array of cultural venues, including the Alte Oper concert hall, the Städel Museum, and the German Film Museum. 

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Along the Museum Embankment, 26 museums showcase a variety of art, science, and history, making Frankfurt a vibrant destination for cultural enthusiasts.

The city’s geography is equally diverse, with the Main River flowing through it. 

The southern part of Frankfurt is home to the Frankfurt City Forest, the largest city forest in Germany, which offers residents and visitors abundant green space for outdoor activities. 

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Frankfurt also features several parks, botanical gardens, and a zoo, all contributing to its reputation as a city with a balance of urban development and nature.

Frankfurt’s position in the heart of the Rhine-Main metropolitan region places it in close proximity to other important cities like Wiesbaden, Mainz, Darmstadt, and Offenbach am Main. 

The city is an important transportation hub, with excellent rail, road, and air connections. 

Frankfurt is also known for its active sports scene, hosting major events such as the Frankfurt Marathon and Ironman Germany, and being the home of the Eintracht Frankfurt football club, the Löwen Frankfurt ice hockey team, and the Frankfurt Skyliners basketball team.

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Spanning 248.31 square kilometers, Frankfurt covers an area that stretches 23.4 km from east to west and 23.3 km from north to south. 

Its downtown area is located north of the Main River, where the historic Altstadt district meets the commercial Innenstadt district. 

The city’s central geographic point lies in the Bockenheim district, near the Frankfurt West station. 

With its combination of historical charm, modern infrastructure, and thriving cultural scene, Frankfurt is a dynamic and influential city in both Germany and Europe.

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