In January 2014, I started a European trip with my friends.
I chose this time period because it was cheap.
I had just started working at that time, and with the purpose of studying abroad,
Go check it out once in an architecture textbook
There have been high-rise buildings, old castles and churches,
Walk around the bridges spanning both sides of the bank,
Visit the small art shops on the street,
Listen to the stories of each of these cities.
Look at the lives of people on the other side of the world.
Paul's Church
The plane landed at Amsterdam Airport in the Netherlands, and then transferred to a bus to the first destination, Frankfurt, Germany. After getting off the bus, the first building I saw with a curved outer wall was Paul's Church.
Paulskirche, also translated as St. Paul’s Church, is located in Frankfurt, Germany. It was built in 1787. It is an oval-shaped Protestant church and an important political symbol in Germany. It was designed by the city's architect Johann Andreas Liebhardt to replace the Franciscan Church (Barfüsserkirche). In 1833, this majestic classical sandstone church was finally completed.
Fifteen years later, in 1848, Germany's first freely elected parliament held its Constitutional Convention here. More than 2,000 people attended this constitutional convention. The conference formulated Germany's first democratic constitution, which included a total of 59 laws. Due to its centralized shape, it was used as the seat of the National Assembly in Frankfurt in 1848-1849. In 1852, St. Paul's Church resumed religious use.
In 1944, Paul's Cathedral was bombed. One of the city's earliest buildings and a symbol of the new democracy, it was rebuilt after the war. Today, the awarding ceremonies for the Peace Prize and the Goethe Prize established by the German publishing industry are held in this church. It is usually open to tourists for tours. Chinese writer Mo Yan gave a 30-minute speech here after winning the Nobel Peace Prize.
In 1848, Germany's first freely elected parliament held a constitutional convention here. The conference produced Germany's first democratic constitution. It is a symbol of the formation of Germany. There is also a "Unification Monument" in the small square, with a woman holding a shield on top of the monument. The Unity Monument, the Statue of the Goddess of Peace, was built to commemorate the reunification of East and West Germany after the Berlin Wall was torn down.
Frankfurt's Bridge of Sighs is located next to Paul's Church, across Bethmann-Straße, and connects the north and south office buildings of the city hall. It is said to be modeled after the Bridge of Sighs in Venice. Connected to both ends are municipal office buildings. The pillars under the bridge are in the form of human bodies.
This nude statue is of Friedrich Ebert, the first president of Germany's Weimar Republic.
There is a statue of a two-tailed mermaid in the middle of the arch under the bridge, which is a commonly used pattern in the Middle Ages.
Roman Forum
The Roman Forum is the center and symbol of Frankfurt. In the Middle Ages, it was a market and trade fair.
The Old Town Hall is the most famous and representative building in Frankfurt, especially the balcony in the middle. At that time, the newly crowned Holy Roman Emperors waved to the cheering crowd here and accepted the people's opinions. Their morning greetings. These three conjoined Gothic buildings are Romer, and the Roman Berg Square is named after them.
Frankfurt City Hall was built in 1288 and has been the seat of Frankfurt's city government for more than 700 years. The three exquisite stepped gabled roofs are unique in style and are a symbol of Frankfurt. The building in the middle is called the Rema. On the second floor of the Rema, there is an Emperor's Hall, where the coronation ceremony of the Holy Roman Emperor was held. The walls are hung with paintings from Charlemagne to Francis. II, a total of 52 portraits of emperors. The Emperor's Palace inside is the place where many Roman emperors were crowned. This is now also the mayor's office. There are no guards or fences in the city hall, and citizens can come and go as they please.
Hanging from left to right are: the European Union flag, the German flag, and the Frankfurt city flag.
The Roman Forum is the center and symbol of Frankfurt. In the Middle Ages, it was a market and trade fair.
In the middle of the Roman Forum in Frankfurt, Germany stands the Fountain of Justice facing the old city hall. The goddess faces the city hall, holding a scale in her left hand symbolizing fairness and justice, and a sword in her right hand symbolizing the majesty of the law. This image has also become " The law upholds justice and combats crime."
At the southern end of the Roman Forum, the pointed bell tower and the white-walled red-roofed hut are St. Nicholas Church. Before 1290, it was a palace church, so it was also called the Imperial Cathedral. Later it was the city councilor's chapel for mass and prayer. Because the church is located on the bank of the Main River and was originally a palace church, there is a bugler on the bell tower. Whenever a ship passes by on the river, the bugler will blow the horn to welcome the guests. This tradition has been maintained Until now.
My favorite is Frankfurt’s city emblem, a beautiful phoenix reborn from the ashes.
Caesar's Church
Frankfurt Cathedral, also known as Caesar's Cathedral and Imperial Cathedral, is a Gothic building from the 13th to the 15th century. The main building of the church is 95 meters high and majestic. The cathedral has a history of 600 years. Although it has experienced several wars, it has survived. Caesar's Cathedral was built in 1239 and has a gorgeous Gothic appearance. It is not only the spiritual center of Frankfurt, but also the place where German kings were crowned. Between 1562 and 1797, a total of 10 Roman emperors held coronation ceremonies here. On display in the church are the gorgeous robes worn by the archbishops during their coronation ceremonies. The voting hall to the south of the church was where the emperor was once elected.
We are used to seeing the monotonous gray and black tones of Gothic churches. The brick-red cathedral that appears in front of us gives people a warm feeling. The decorative lines in the church are smooth, concise and bright, and the warm red color exudes a sense of intimacy and a sense of piety that makes people feel respectful.
Frankfurt street scene
There happened to be some buildings that needed to be repaired, and there were the facades of each building on the outside.
The street windows sell all kinds of small gifts that have just passed Christmas. The market is also the most intuitive way to feel the local life atmosphere and see what food they are buying.
neighborhood to stay
Outside the window of the Mercure Hotel where I stayed, there were three-story houses where Germans lived. Almost every house had a large backyard and a public parking area for RVs. In winter, they would often drive their RVs together. People can just find a small hill and ski.
The hotel room is not big, but it is fully functional. I love the cabinets in this small kitchen. The surface is an accordion cabinet. When you open the sliding arc-shaped cabinet door, you will find the sink and stove. Below the stove is a small refrigerator, and above it is a small refrigerator. The cabinet can be opened to hide the microwave and pot, which is simply the best choice for small apartments.
Such a small house is really well-equipped with two single beds, a small sofa and a table, a TV desk, and a small dining table. I have to admire the design. Germans basically like Nordic style decoration. .
summary
The purpose of writing this travel journal is to review the first-hand inspiration I gained before. My trip to Germany allowed me to see a clean, standardized, and rigorous city. The architectural forms and colors of the city are within the scope of urban planning, and there are not many shocking colors. Visually, the overall feeling is clean, comfortable, relaxed and peaceful.
