Many of the pubs and restaurants are in original half-timbered buildings. When you walk in the pedestrian zone, which is all cobblestones and narrow streets, you really get the feeling of what it might have been like back in the Middle Ages. Well, except for all of those electric lights and the music! Fortunately, this area was not badly bombed during the war, so they were able to keep the original look of the neighborhood.
Many visitors to Frankfurt enjoy walking up the Klappergasse so they can be surprised by "Frau Rauscher" as she spits out water. The best time to go here is in the evening, when everything is open, people are sitting outside at the tables and you can enjoy the wonderful party atmosphere. During the day it looks a bit tawdry, so try and go during the evening. Back when 40,000 American troops were stationed in or near Frankfurt, you could barely walk down the streets, it was so crowded. Once the Army pulled out, this area struggled to stay alive, as many of the Frankfurters had stayed away for so many years. This has now changed and many Frankfurt residents enjoy going here for a night out, sitting in their favorite Applewine Garden, like Dauth Schneider, Lorsbacher Thal, Ätschel, Fichte Kranze, and many more.
As to the history of Sachsenhausen, this area was the "grocery store" for Frankfurt. The slaughter house was along the river, the Old Bridge contained the mills, there were vineyards on the hills with gardens and orchards everywhere, and the fishermen of Frankfurt lived here. The Fisher Guild was one of the oldest guilds in the city and was begun in the 900's. The market women walked across the bridge every morning to sell their wares on the Römerberg. They were well known for having a sharp tongue and became a tourist attraction themselves. They had their own dialect which still exists in part today, thanks to the historical societies that keep it alive.
The 11,000 acre city forest, which the city bought in 1372 from the Emperor, borders Sachsenhausen and is a popular place to visit. The area around where the Goethe Turm once stood (Sadly, someone set fire to it and it burned down in 2017) has a fun playground for kids. Nearby is the Sachsenhausen Warte, one of the old guard towers built in the 1500's, that would have been outside the city walls. Today it is a popular applewine garden restaurant.
After you walk across the Alte Brucke, make sure to stop in the beautiful, Deutsche Orden church. Built in 1309, it has many gorgeous altars and wonderful wall paintings.
If you are looking for one of a kind gifts, clothing, gourmet foods, or bembels, shopping in Sachsenhausen is the place to go. Wallstrasse and Bruckenstrasse are lined with unique boutique type stores. On Sat. the place to go is Markt in Hof for taste treats and one of a kind items. Looking for that special picture for your home? Visit Gallerie 54 on Bruckenstrasse. Portuguese treats? Same street.
We will be happy to show you Sachsenhausen on your private or layover tour.
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