Spread out between 1km and 2km northwest of the Hauptbahnhof, Frankfurt’s famous trade fair grounds are anchored by the iconic MesseTurm, a 256m-high skyscraper nicknamed der Bleistift (the pencil) due to its cylindrical core topped by a 36m-high pyramid. The Messe grounds have absolutely nothing of interest to offer visitors except during trade fairs, which famously wreak periodic havoc on the local tourist economy.
Messe
Frankfurt am Main
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
1.07 MILES
Founded in 1815, this world-renowned art gallery has an outstanding collection of European art from masters including Dürer, Rembrandt, Rubens, Renoir,…
1.45 MILES
Frankfurt’s red-sandstone cathedral is dominated by a 95m-high Gothic tower, which can be climbed via 328 steps. Construction began in the 13th century;…
0.45 MILES
Life-size dinosaur mock-ups guard the front of Frankfurt’s natural history museum. Inside the early 1900s neo-baroque building, exhibits cover…
1.28 MILES
The Römerberg is Frankfurt’s old central square. Ornately gabled half-timbered buildings, reconstructed after WWII, give an idea of how beautiful the city…
-
14.35 MILES
A Unesco World Heritage Site, this one-time coal and oil shale quarry 10km northeast of Darmstadt is renowned for its superbly preserved animal and plant…
-
18.46 MILES
A heady experience for book lovers, the Gutenberg Museum commemorates native son Johannes Gutenberg, who in the 15th century ushered in the information…
-
Heiligtum der Isis und Mater Magna
18.72 MILES
In a darkened, dungeon-like space, a glass walkway leads you around this extraordinary Roman archaeological site, which was discovered in 1999 during the…
-
18.56 MILES
Topped by an octagonal tower, Mainz’ immense cathedral, built from deep red sandstone in the 12th century, is quintessentially Romanesque. Its predecessor…
Nearby Frankfurt am Main attractions
0.45 MILES
Life-size dinosaur mock-ups guard the front of Frankfurt’s natural history museum. Inside the early 1900s neo-baroque building, exhibits cover…
0.83 MILES
Frankfurt's largest synagogue was built between 1908 and 1910 by Lichtenstein-born architect Franz Roeckle (1879–1953), who trained in Stuttgart before…
0.88 MILES
Frankfurt's skyline wouldn't be the same without the Main Tower, one of the tallest and most distinctive high-rises in town. A great place to get a feel…
0.89 MILES
Established in 1871, Frankfurt's botanical PalmenGarten (palm garden) is filled with tropical hothouses, rose gardens, a bamboo grove and rock garden…
0.91 MILES
Inaugurated in 1880, the Italian Renaissance-style Alte Oper anchors the western end of the Zeil-Fressgass pedestrian zone. Burnt out in 1944, it narrowly…
1 MILES
Frankfurt's Jüdisches Museum (Jewish Museum) is set in the one-time residence of the Rothschild family, the Rothschildpalais. It's closed for renovations…
1.02 MILES
Lesser-known Frankfurt-area artists from the 19th and early 20th centuries are the focus of the special exhibitions at this neoclassical riverside villa,…
1.03 MILES
Beautiful parkland runs along both banks of the Main River – perfect for strolling, running, cycling or a picnic. The most popular section is between the…