Römer and Römerberg
As early as the Stone Age, people occupied this high ground that was later settled by the Romans. After Germanic tribes conquered the Romans, the settlement fell into ruins and was forgotten until construction workers in the 20th century stumbled across its ancient remains. But from then to now, this area in Frankfurt’s Altstadt has always played a prominent role in the life of the city, both physically and psychically. The Altstadt centers around three Gothic buildings with stepped gables, known collectively as the Römer—the German word for Roman, and perhaps an oblique reference to the Holy Roman Empire and Holy Roman Emperor who, from the 10th to the 16th centuries, was crowned in the nearby Kaiserdom. These houses, just west of the cathedral, originally were built between 1288 and 1305 and then bought by the city a century later for use as the Rathaus (Town Hall). After his coronation in the Kaiserdom, a new emperor and his entourage paraded westward to the Römer for a banquet. In the Kaisersaal (Imperial Hall), on the second floor of the center house, you can see romanticized images of 52 emperors sculpted in the 19th century to celebrate the thousand-year history of the Holy Roman Empire. Medieval city officials and their families watched plays and tournaments from a specially built gallery on the Nikolaikirche (St. Nicholas Church), the small chapel in front of the city hall. The chapel has a 35-bell carillon that plays at 9:05am, 12:05pm, and 5:05pm. Römerplatz, the square in front of the Römer, is one of Frankfurt’s most popular spots, with a series of rebuilt half-timbered buildings housing cafes and restaurants. In December, it becomes the site of Frankfurt’s giant Christmas Market. The elaborate facade of the Römer, with its ornate balcony and statues of emperors, overlooks the Römerberg (Roman Hill).
As early as the Stone Age, people occupied this high ground that was later settled by the Romans. After Germanic tribes conquered the Romans, the settlement fell into ruins and was forgotten until construction workers in the 20th century stumbled across its ancient remains. But from then to now, this area in Frankfurt’s Altstadt has always played a prominent role in the life of the city, both physically and psychically. The Altstadt centers around three Gothic buildings with stepped gables, known collectively as the Römer—the German word for Roman, and perhaps an oblique reference to the Holy Roman Empire and Holy Roman Emperor who, from the 10th to the 16th centuries, was crowned in the nearby Kaiserdom. These houses, just west of the cathedral, originally were built between 1288 and 1305 and then bought by the city a century later for use as the Rathaus (Town Hall). After his coronation in the Kaiserdom, a new emperor and his entourage paraded westward to the Römer for a banquet. In the Kaisersaal (Imperial Hall), on the second floor of the center house, you can see romanticized images of 52 emperors sculpted in the 19th century to celebrate the thousand-year history of the Holy Roman Empire. Medieval city officials and their families watched plays and tournaments from a specially built gallery on the Nikolaikirche (St. Nicholas Church), the small chapel in front of the city hall. The chapel has a 35-bell carillon that plays at 9:05am, 12:05pm, and 5:05pm. Römerplatz, the square in front of the Römer, is one of Frankfurt’s most popular spots, with a series of rebuilt half-timbered buildings housing cafes and restaurants. In December, it becomes the site of Frankfurt’s giant Christmas Market. The elaborate facade of the Römer, with its ornate balcony and statues of emperors, overlooks the Römerberg (Roman Hill).
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