June 8 Frankfurt-am-Main

 Frankfurt is the major financial centre for Germany and Europe.  The European Central Bank is here along with many other banks. The centre of the city was largely destroyed during WWII but has since been rebuilt.

The City Hall where the European union first met and where JFK made his famous statement "Ich bin Berliner".  The street alongside was later named Berlinerstrasse in recognition of that day.

Inside the City Hall - a mural showing apple picking, that being one of their prime crops. Apple wine is their local drink - apart from beer of course

The old City Hall

The Town Square 

 

2 interesting buildings: on the left next to the statue of justice is what was the first bank in Frankfurt

 It's now a coffee shop called 'Cafe Change'. It also has an ATM inside. Because of its historical importance the city requires the name to reference banking and it has to have an ATM inside. The building on the right overlooks the Square and when big events take place people rent out their windows on Airbnb so you can watch what's happening from above.

In the middle of the Square is this Plaque commemorating the burning of books by Nazi students in Mar 1933. The inscription around the edge says: 'just over there was where they burnt books.  In the end they burnt people. ' A sombre reminder to all of us.

 

St Bartholomew Cathedral. It was Pentecost Sunday so the church was packed. I arrived as the service was ending but was the to hear the organist present a closing organ voluntary.