City tour with the Ebbelwei-Express

Welcome to the Ebbelwei Express:

We invite you to explore our vibrant city with an historic train. Enjoy an hour of stories and history, memorials and anything noteworthy along the way.

We hope you enjoy yourself
Your VGF, the Frankfurt Transportation Company

Notes on the audio city tour:

The trip with the Ebbelwei Express begins at the zoo and takes you on a tour of the most important sights of the city of Frankfurt am Main.

For better orientation, an identification sound, the track number and the respective stop are given at the beginning of each audio file. Then, the sights to the left or right along the route are mentioned. You can switch between the stops as you wish with your MP3-Player. This assumes that you have transferred all of the Podcast files to your MP3-player in the correct sequence. There is another identification sound at the end of a track. If you hear this and have not yet reached the next stop, press pause on your MP3-player and wait until the next stop.

The Ebbelwei Express:

Before we begin our city tour, we would like to introduce our Ebbelwei Express: streetcar models in Frankfurt are designated by consecutive letters. The latest type of streetcar is the “S”-car. The Ebbelwei Express is a generation “K” train and was built between 1949 and 1954 by Duewag/Crede. It is 11 metres 44 centimetres long, 2 metres 16 centimetres wide, and has 22 seats and room for 8 standing passengers. With a weight of 13 tons, it has a motor output of 2 x 60 kW. VGF has a total of 4 locomotives and 6 trailer cars.

And now, we wish you lots of fun on your journey through our beautiful city. If the train is already moving and has departed the Zoo stop, quickly switch to the next track.

Download Podcast-MP3: Introduction

Frankfurt Zoo

Frankfurt Zoo is the second oldest zoological park in Germany. It was created in 1858 by a citizensʼ initiative. Originally, the zoo was located in the Leer Gardens in the West until it was moved to its current location, the Pfingstweiden, in 1874. After World War I, the city of Frankfurt took over the zoo. The zoological park was almost completely destroyed during World War II and was rebuilt after the war with a great deal of support by the zoologist Bernhard Grzimek, who was able to raise the necessary funds.

Today, Frankfurt Zoo is one of the most visited zoos in Europe. Around 4,500 animals and 450 species inhabit the exhibition halls and open enclosures.The Exotarium, the Cat Jungle, the Borgori Forest, and the Nocturnal Animal Exhibit are particularly noteworthy (OR remarkable). In the Nocturnal Animal Exhibit, the animals are awake during the day due to an artificial time shift and can be observed by the visitors.

You can find information about Frankfurt Zoo at www.frankfurter-zoo.de.

Download Podcast-MP3: Zoo

The Jewish Cemetery

On the left side, you will see the old Jewish cemetery between the two next stops at Allerheiligentor and Börneplatz. This is the second oldest Jewish cemetery in Germany and was used as such until 1828.

5,500 gravestones have been counted on and below surface. These date back the year 1272. 11,134 small memorial plaques on the wall of the cemetery serve as a reminder of the Jewish citizens of Frankfurt murdered during the holocaust.

Museum Judengasse

At the end of the 80s, during the construction of the administrative building of the public utilities of Frankfurt, the foundations of five houses from the Judengasse and the Börneplatz synagogue were uncovered. Some of these foundation walls and archaeological finds were secured and integrated into the “Museum Judengasse”, which was opened in 1992 in the basement of the administrative building. The “Museum Judengasse” is a branch office of the Jewish Museum Frankfurt. It is located at Kurt- Schumacher-Straße 10 on the left side. As mentioned, it displays archaeological relics from the Frankfurt Judengasse in an exhibit on the history of the Jewish community since the 15th century, regarding everyday life in the Jews' lane and the history of Börneplatz since the 19th century.

Börneplatz

Historically, Börneplatz was the site of the Börneplatz synagogue. It was constructed 1881/1882 to replace the Fremdenhospital built in 1780 at the southern end of the former Judengasse and dedicated on 10 September, 1882. The Börneplatz synagogue served as the spiritual centre of the orthodox wing of the community as one of the four large Frankfurt synagogues. In November of 1938, it was set on fire by the national socialists during the November pogroms and completely destroyed except for the outer walls. The remnants of the synagogue were demolished immediately thereafter.

The reconstruction of the surrounding area of Börneplatz, which was completely destroyed during World War II, began in 1952 although the former Börnestraße was not restored. In its place, a broad street was designed, Kurt-Schumacher-Straße.

Zeil

Just before the Börneplatz stop, look to the right in the direction of Konstablerwache and Zeil. Zeil, which was created in 1330, is the best-known shopping street in Frankfurt. Today, the 1,100 m long and 40 m wide pedestrian zone is one of the most profitable “shopping miles” in Germany. Zeil owes its name to the construction of the buildings along it, which are reminiscent of lines in a book with their dense rows. We will travel parallel to this shopping mile for a while past Börneplatz to the Römer, where you can once again look to the right in the direction of Zeil.

Museum für Moderne Kunst

On the right side, you see the Museum for Modern Art. The “piece of cake”, as it is popularly referred to. The distinctive triangular structure with its peculiar interior design, shows alternating exhibitions of modern art. Due to the construction of the building, the individual paintings are illuminated by natural light during good weather. The building, which was designed by the Viennese architect Hans Hollein, opened its doors in 1991. In the Frankfurt Museum für Moderne Kunst, you will find works by Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Rauschenberg, and Andy Warhol as well as Joseph Beuys and James Turrell, among others.

Frankfurt Cathedral

On the left side, you will see the cathedral, constructed on the cathedral hill, when you look down the next intersection. This has been the centre of the settlement of Frankfurt since the Bronze Age. To be precise, the former collegiate and parish church is not a cathedral, as Frankfurt was never the seat of a bishop. But the church was referred to as a cathedral in the Middle Ages so that the emperor could be crowned there. Starting in 1356, it was the site at which German kings were elected and coronation church of the German Kaiser from 1562 to 1792.

Download Podcast-MP3: Ostendstraße/Börneplatz

Römerberg

The Römerberg, or Roman Hill, is on the left side. For centuries, it has been the prestigious square in Frankfurt. The Gerechtigkeitsbrunnen, meaning Fountain of Justice, occupies the centre of the square, which was built in 1543 as a symbol of the market right and was often renovated. Since 1887, the bronze “Justitia” has graced the fountain with sword and scales. The famous Christmas market is also held on the Römerberg in front of the reconstructed half-timbered houses.

The Römer

The Römer, the oldest town hall in the city and the headquarters of the magistrate today, is a group of eleven townhouses on the west side of the Römerberg. The three gothic crow gable houses “Zum Römer”, “Alt-Limpurg” and “Löwenstein”, which were converted to a town hall in 1405, are the centre and symbol of Frankfurt.

The word “Römer” figuratively refers to the town authorities. The first Kaisertreppe from 1405 now serves as the ceremonial stairs of the wedding hall of the registry office.

Paulskirche

The Paulskirche is on the right. It is an elliptical structure with classical forms. In 1848/49, the Frankfurt Parliament and the Frankfurt Assembly met in the Paulskirche. The Assembly was the first freely elected parliament in Germany.

A fire destroyed the interior of the Paulskirche in 1944 and this was restored again by 18 May 1948. The Paulskirche is a symbol of freedom and democracy and is no longer used as a church. Today, the Paulskirche is a venue for special occasions and awards, such as the awarding of the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade during the Frankfurt Book Fair.

Download Podcast-MP3: Römer/Paulskirche

Willy-Brandt-Platz

Willy brandt square lies within the so-called banking district adjacent to the ramparts of Frankfurt. The ramparts form a ring-like park around the inner city of Frankfurt am Main. They were created at the beginning of the 19th century on the grounds of the former city fortifications of Frankfurt. The Frankfurt Anlagenring runs around the ramparts. The ramparts are divided into seven sections, which primarily bear the names of the former city gates. These are the Untermainanlage, the Gallusanlage, the Taunusanlage, the Bockenheimer Anlage, the Eschenheimer Anlage, the Friedberger Anlage, and the Obermainanlage.

Willy-Brandt-Platz and the Städtische Bühnen are located along the Untermainanlage.

Städtische Bühnen

At Willy-Brandt-Platz, the former Theaterplatz, you will find the Städtische Bühnen, a new building constructed from 1951 to 1963. The Städtische Bühnen house the municipal theatre companies in Frankfurt am Main and is the largest facility of its kind in the state of Hessen. It is divided into the opera house with 1,400 seats, the theatre with 710 seats, and the playhouse with 200 seats.

The Frankfurt Opera was named Opera House of the Year in 1995 and 2003 by the magazine “Opernwelt”.

Frankfurt Fairytale Fountain

The Fairytale Fountain, an Art Nouveau fountain by Ernst Friedrich Hausmann, is located in front of the Städtische Bühnen. The fountain was completed in 1910. The bronze figures at the foot of the 8 metre fountain were melted down during World War II and finally reconstructed in 2006 based on photographs from the twenties.

The Eurotower

The European Central Bank with its headquarters in the 148 m tall Eurotower is located on the right side directly across from the Städtische Bühne. The 40-storey building was previously known as the BfG skyscraper, Bank für Gemeinwirtschaft. The skyscraper was later used by the European Monetary Institute. On June 1, 1998, this became the European Central Bank, or ECB for short. In the 90s, there was a shopping arcade with access to the Theaterplatz subway station on the lower three levels. Today, there is aninformation office of the ECB on the ground floor. The basement houses a club with a restaurant, the Living XXL.

The new main headquarters of the ECB are currently being built on the former Großmarkt grounds in Ostend. The protected, historic Großmarkthalle will be preserved and the twin Skytowers, which will be finished by the end of 2014, will add two additional skyscrapers to the skyline of Frankfurt.

Download Podcast-MP3: Willy-Brandt-Platz

Kaiserstraße

After we turn to the right, the next perpendicular street on the right is Kaiserstraße. Kaiserstraße is one of the best-known streets in the inner city of Frankfurt and is the stately connection between the city centre and the central station with the exquisite façades of its Wilhelminian buildings. After World War II, Kaiserstraße became synonymous with the Frankfurt red light district, even though it did not belong to the red light district. Numerous bars, cabarets, businesses, and offices are located on Kaiserstraße, giving the street a multicultural ambience.

Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof

The central station was opened in 1888. Today, it is the largest German terminal station after Leipzig with 350,000 passengers and visitors daily. On weekdays, around 1,800 trains stop here. The train station now has more than 25 tracks in five platform halls. 4 commuter train tracks and 4 subway tracks are located 17 metres underground.

The train station was built by Holzmann. In 1924, the building was expanded with two external halls. 3 halls were needed because there were 3 railway companies: Taunusbahn, the Prussian State Railway, and Hessische Ludwigsbahn. Taunusbahn was the first railway company in Frankfurt.

The route to Wiesbaden was opened in 1839. In Mainz-Kastel, there were connections to shipping traffic.

The façade of the train station is made of sandstone. Day and Night are portrayed artistically to the left and right of the clock. In the centre of the roof, there is a statue of Atlas, carrying the globe on his shoulders. He is assisted by symbolic figures of steam and electricity. This 6.30 metre group of figures is intended to accentuate the unique importance of the train station.

Download Podcast-MP3: Hauptbahnhof/Münchener Straße

Platz der Republik

From the Platz der Republik, you can enjoy a view of the skyscrapers along the Mainzer Landstraße and the Ludwig-Erhard-Anlage. On the right side, at the Mainzer Landstraße intersection, you can see the City House. The 142 metre building is also known as the Selmi high-rise. Ali Selmi was the builder of the building, which was constructed between 1971 and 1974 in accordance with plans by Richard Heil.

Farther right along the Mainzer Landstraße, you can see the Westend Tower. Together with the City House, it forms the central office of the DZ-Bank. The Westend Tower is also known as the Kronenhochhaus due to the corona at its top. At 208 metres high, it is one of the highest skyscrapers in the city of Frankfurt and Germany. The Westend Tower was designed by the architect William Pedersen and completed in 1993. The wreath at its top is intended to refer to Frankfurtʼs role as the coronation city of the German Kaiser. For this reason, it is oriented toward the Frankfurt Römerberg, where the coronations took place. The corona is heated in the winter to prevent the formation of icicles and the related danger to the traffic areas below it.

Police headquarters building

The former police headquarters building along the left side of the Friedrich-Ebert-Anlage was opened in 1914. Since the police headquarters moved into a new structure on Alleenring, the building is mostly vacant. The police headquarters building was built in the historicist style, a mixture of neo-baroque and classicism and is a protected historic building.

Matthäuskirche

The next building on the left after the police headquarters building is the protestant Matthäuskirche from the year 1905. It was heavily damaged during the war and the modern building is therefore primarily a product of the postwar period. The congregation has now shrunk to a few 100 members, which led the Regional Association of the Evangelical Church in Hesse and Nassau to decide in 2002 to abandon the building and to sell it for demolition. The local church congregation is fighting this vehemently.

The Frankfurt Westend

Along with the Bahnhof district, the Nordend, and the Ostend, the Westend is one of the inner city districts of Frankfurt that were developed during the Wilhelminian period and is densely populated. Even today, it is one of the most expensive living areas in Frankfurt and primarily stretches on your right along the route to the trade fair grounds of the city of Frankfurt.

The southern part of Westend, together with the western inner city and the eastern Bahnhof district, form the Frankfurt banking district with its numerous high-rise office buildings.

In addition, there are an above-average number of educational institutions in Westend, in particular the “Uni-Campus Bockenheim” of the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University Frankfurt, and the Senckenberg Museum.

Download Podcast-MP3: Platz der Republik

Frankfurt Trade Fair

The Frankfurt Trade Fair has dominated the economic and cultural life of the city since the 12th century. The IAA and the Book Fair especially play an important role in bringing international exhibitors and visitors to the trade fairgrounds. The dome structure of the Festhalle, built in 1909, and the Congress centre of the Frankfurt Trade Fair are integrated into the trade fairgrounds.

Messe Frankfurt GmbH is one of the world's largest trade fair companies. With a total of 28 subsidiaries, five branch offices, and 52 international sales partners it is represented in more than 150 countries. At 578,000 square metres, the Frankfurt Trade Fair currently has ten exhibition halls, a central logistics centre, and an attached convention centre. Numerous well-known trade fairs are regularly held in Frankfurt and most of these are organized by the Messe Frankfurt GmbH itself. The main focus is on specialized trade fairs in the branches of textiles, consumer goods, architecture, and technology, as well as automobile.

Festhalle Frankfurt

The Festhalle is the venue for many important events, such as concerts by well-known artists and bands or sporting events, such as the ATP Tennis World Championship in the first half of the 90s and large horseshows. The first events in the year 1909 were the “Deutsches Turnfest” (German Gymnastics Festival) and the “Internationale Luftausstellung” (International Air Show). The Festhalle was built between 1907 and 1909.

The Messeturm

The architecture of the 256 metre Messeturm, or Trade Fair Tower, is modeled on the postmodern American skyscrapers of the 20s. When the skyscraper, nicknamed the “pencil”, was finished in 1991, it was the tallest building in Europe. The pyramid on the roof itself, which causes the building to resemble a “pencil”, is 36.6 metres tall. The pyramid is not accessible to renters or the public and is illuminated. For this reason, it is particularly visible on final approach to the Frankfurt Airport at twilight. Since 1997, the Frankfurt Commerzbank Tower is the highest building in Europe with a height of almost 300 metres, if one includes the antenna. The name Messeturm comes from its location southeast of the trade fairgrounds. However, it is not used for trade fair events, but rather as an office building.

Kastor and Pollux

On the right side, the two skyscrapers, Kastor and Pollux, adjoin the Messeturm. They are named after the sons of Zeus from Greek mythology, Castor and Polydeuces, and bear the Latin designations of Kastor and Pollux. Although they form the complex “Forum Frankfurt” together, each of them is an independent building. Pollux, the leftmost of the two buildings, is 130 metres tall, Kastor is 95 metres.

Europaviertel

On your right, behind Tower 185, you will find the so-called Europaviertel on the grounds of the former main freight depot. This is a city district with offices, hotels, apartments, and shopping and recreational opportunities in which around 10,000 people will work and 3,000 people will live. Tower 185 is, in accordance with its name, 185 metres tall. The actual tower protrudes from the centre of the horseshoe-shaped base building in two skyscraper halves.

Download Podcast-MP3: Festhalle/Trade Fair

Westhafen

Before we cross the Main, you will see the former Westhafen on the right. This is now being transformed by the construction of attractive modern residential complexes. The Westhafen is a former inland port, which is separated from the Main by a breakwater that is 560 metres long and 75 metres wide. Westhafen Tower has stood at the entrance to Westhafen since 2003. With a height of 109 metres, it is one of the smaller skyscrapers in the city. The Westhafentower is locally referred to as “Geripptes” or the largest cider glass in the world due to its diamond-shaped windows. These diamonds strongly resemble the typical cider glass, the “Gerippte”. Because the foundation of the building is round and the floors are square, there are 18 winter gardens between the inner and round outer façade.

Friedensbrücke

Our trip across the Main will take you over the Friedensbrücke, or Peace Bridge. It was built from 1950 to 1951, is 300 metres long, and is supported by four columns.

This was the only Main bridge in Frankfurt that was not completely destroyed in 1945. On 26 March 1945, the US-Army was able to enter the city over this bridge.

The bronze figure “Der Hafenarbeiter” by Meunier from the year 1893 is located on the south side as a reminder of Frankfurtʼs Westhafen. The port worker wears a hood to protect against the coal dust.

The Städel and the Museumsufer

Across the Main, we pass the museum shore on the south side of the Main. On the left side, you can see the Städelsches Kunstinstitut und Städtische Galerie located directly near the next Main bridge, the Hohlbeinsteg. The Städel building was built in 1874–78 in historicist style and is now fully accessible again after its renovation beginning in 2000. It is one of the most beautiful and richest painting galleries in Europe.

Museumsufer

The Frankfurt Museumsufer is one of the most important museum sites in Germany and Europe. At the moment, there are 13 exhibition buildings here on Schaumainkai. In 1977, the idea of bringing various museums together was put forth by the head of Frankfurtʼs cultural affairs at the time, Hilmar Hoffmann. Between 1980 and 1990, existing facilities were expanded and new buildings constructed. Here are some of the museums you can find here:

• the Frankfurt Icon Museum
• the Museum of Applied Arts, formerly: crafts museum, in the garden of Villa Metzler
• the Museum of World Cultures, formerly: Museum of Ethnology
• the German Film Museum
• the German Architecture Museum
• the Communication Museum, formerly: Bundespostmuseum
• the Liebieghaus, sculpture museum
• the Museum Giersch, Museum for art from the region

On the northern side of the Main, you can find the Historical Museum and the Jewish Museum. We recommend that fans of public transportation visit the transportation museums of the VGF in the district of Schwanheim. Take a trip through the history of public transportation in Frankfurt am Main.

Download Podcast-MP3: Baseler Platz

Sachsenhausen

Sachsenhausen owes its name to the settlement of Saxon families by Charlemagne. This part of the city was originally a fishing village outside of Frankfurt and is a popular residential area today with many refurbished old buildings.

Schellgasse 8 is also located here, the oldest remaining house in Frankfurt from the year 1291.

In the dialect of Frankfurt, Sachsenhausen is also called “Dribb de Bach”, meaning “over the creek”, on the other side of the Main. “Hibb de Bach” means “on this side of the creek”, which refers to the northern side of the Main.

Brewing tradition

In the past, there were more than 100 breweries here. The beer was stored in cool, extensive cellar vaults in the so-called Sachsenhäuser Berg. A distinctive structure is the Henninger Turm, a former brewery silo for storing 12,000 tons of brewing barley.

Cider tradition

Today, Sachsenhausen is known as the Ebbelwei district. Ebbelwei is what the citizens of Frankfurt call apple cider. Naturally, this is also the origin of the name of the Ebbelwei Express.

In the rustic Sachsenhausen cider bars, you can sample the now world-renowned Frankfurt cider. The cider is a dry, extremely satisfying wine made from domestic apples. The tasty “Stöffche”, as the Frankfurters call it, is served in a ribbed glass, the so-called “Gerippte”. The ribs are said to have made the glass easier to hold in the past. People ate without knife and fork at that time, especially farm workers, and smooth glasses slipped more easily through greasy fingers.The classic earthenware pitcher, the “Bembel” is used to pour the cider. This is normally served with the “Handkäs mit Musik” or a hearty “Rippche mit Kraut”. Enjoy the Frankfurt cuisine – and relax with a good bottle. It is worth exploring...

Download Podcast-MP3: Schweizer/Gartenstraße

Alt Sachsenhausen

On the left, you can go to “Alt-Sachsenhausen”, to the famous Klappergass. “Frau Rauscher”, the life-sized stone sculpture welcomes guests for a glass of cider. The naturally cloudy “Stöffche” from the Frankfurt Possmann family press house that is named after her, can be found in good grocery stores or beverage specialty stores.

Ignatz Bubis Bridge

Past Alt-Sachsenhausen, our trip takes us over the Main across the Ignatz Bubis Bridge. The former Obermain Bridge was built from 1876–78.

On the bridge, you have a good view of the Frankfurt skyline to the left. The view of the skyline from the east is unique. Because the skyscrapers are primarily built in the western part of Frankfurt, you can recognize the numerous historic towers from here, such as the Frankfurt Cathedral. To the right, you can see the Osthafen area.

Portikus

The white portico of the public library, which was completely destroyed in 1944, is located near the entrance to the Ignatz Bubis Bridge. The building was built between 1820 and 1825. Today it is used for art exhibitions.

"Hospital zum heiligen Geist"

The “Hospital zum heiligen Geist”, meaning "Hospital of the Holy Spirit" is a public endowment and the oldest of its kind in Frankfurt. It is first mentioned in documents from 1267. Originally, the clinic was on the banks of the Main. On 22 May 1835, the cornerstone was laid for the new construction of the hospital. Due to a lack of space, the Hospital zum heiligen Geist endowment built a new building on Lange Strasse along the embankments of the inner city. After a construction period of 4 years, the hospital was dedicated in 1839. It was destroyed during World War II and then rebuilt.

End of the tour

Now we are almost at the end of the tour and will soon be returning to the “Zoo”. We hope you enjoyed your trip in our Ebbelwei Express and that you will recommend us and our podcast to your friends. You can find all of the information and sources at the website of Verkehrsgesellschaft Frankfurt am Main at www.vgf-ffm.de

We look forward to welcoming you on board again and wish you a pleasant stay in our beautiful city, Frankfurt am Main.You can also reserve the Ebbelwei Express for family parties and events. For information on this, see the Internet site www.ebbelwei-express.com.

Download Podcast-MP3: Lokalbahnhof