Frankfurt Travel Guide - History

During Roman times, Frankfurt was established as an important trading centre, but the first known written reference to the city is attributed to Charlemagne in 794AD, who had chosen the city for one of his royal residences. By the 12th century, the city had become known for trade fairs, which were attracting buyers from as far away as the Baltic and the Mediterranean.

Frankfurt became even more prominent when Frederick I Barbarossa declared it the site for the election and coronation of German kings in 1152. Two centuries later, the residents were able to buy their autonomy from Karl IV, making Frankfurt a freie Reichstadt, or free imperial city.

The character of Frankfurt was highly secular, and it was a leader in embracing Martin Luther's controversial, reformist ideas. Frankfurt had held a significant position in the German Holy Roman Empire, which came to an end in 1806. From that point, Germany’s principalities were reorganised into a confederation of states, with Frankfurt home to its Reichstag.

Late in WWII, in the spring of 1944, Frankfurt was so heavily bombed by the Allies that almost 80 per cent of the city centre was totally destroyed and 1,870 of its residents killed.