New old Frankfurt

Probably you know there are two cities in Germany called Frankfurt. They are: Frankfurt(Main) and Frankfurt(Oder). However it is common to use the name Frankfurt only for Frankfurt(Main). That is the city a would like to present you.

I have never been to Frankfurt before my ESC. To be honest I knew about it just a little. After my acceptance for the project I started to google and watch some videos on youtube about the city life. After watching one of the most popular travel TV-show in Russia «Orel I Reshka» about Frankfurt I was deeply shocked. There was told that there is nothing to see in Frankfurt except bank and red light districts. However I was so excited about my project, that presented «bad reputation» of the city did not stop me.

Eight months of living in Frankfurt showed me how beautiful it is. Actually the city became my second home.

Frankfurt is the biggest city in the Hessen region and the fifth largest city in Germany. Although it is not the capital of the region, it is still the financial capital of Germany (alpha city). Frankfurt is the major financial center where are situated headquarters of Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank, European Central Bank, German Federal Bank, Frankfurt Stock Exchange and others. All the skyscrapers of the bank district make the city unique in Germany (many people use for it the nickname - Mainhattan), even if some say it is just ugly. By the way the city is famous by its trade fairs. One of the biggest and popular is Frankfurt Motor Show. Moreover, Frankfurt airport is the latest hub in the Europe cause of it is central location within Germany and Europe.

New but still old, right in the city center were built new historical center of Frankfurt. 

Before the World War II the city was globally noted for its unique old town with timber-framed buildings, the largest timber-framed old town in Europe. During the World War II Frankfurt was severely bombed. The once-famous medieval city centre, by that time the largest in Germany, was almost completely destroyed. Postwar reconstruction took place in a sometimes simple modern style, thus changing Frankfurt's architectural face. A few landmark buildings were reconstructed historically, though in a simplified manner (e.g. Römer, St. Paul's Church, and Goethe House). It looked like the previous old city center lost forever. Fortunately  the reconstruction of the historical center kept on going nowadays. Just in September 2018 the new old city center, sounds paradoxical, were opened for tourist and inhabitants after long reconstruction period. It is like a phoenix rising out of the ashes. Many architects from all over the Europe worked on the project of old town. At the end the project costed more than 170 millions Euro.

Nevertheless there are some critics all around new old town. Some say it looks like fake-old town and call it - Hessenpark. They mean it is just a show and facades. Even so  the old town supposed to be a place for Hessen’s traditions, none of international enterprises presented there, just small local shops.

Being the international city famous by Banks headquarters Frankfurt awaits a lot of «Brexit-refugee» that can cause new banking boom. If it happens or not, we will see within next few years.