Frankfurt's New Old Town: Dom-Römer Quarter, History & Walk

If you stroll between the Imperial Cathedral and the Römer through narrow, cobbled lanes, past colourful timber-framed gables and across the little Hühnermarkt square, you’re standing in the New Old Town — perhaps Frankfurt’s most unusual quarter. Because what looks so old here was only finished in 2018. Let me tell you how this extraordinary project came about, what you absolutely should see and how to plan the perfect walk.

What is the New Old Town?

The New Old Town, officially the Dom-Römer quarter, is a district of around 7,000 square metres in the historic heart of Frankfurt, between the Imperial Cathedral of St Bartholomew in the east and the Römerberg in the west. Until the Second World War, the densely built medieval old town stood on this site — one of the largest timber-framed ensembles in Germany. In the bombing raids of March 1944 it was almost entirely destroyed.

After the war the area lay derelict for a long time; later the unloved Technical City Hall from the 1970s stood here. Only when that concrete block was demolished did the chance arise to rethink the historic quarter.

The Dom-Römer project: the story of a reconstruction

Between 2012 and 2018, one of Germany’s most ambitious urban-planning schemes created the New Frankfurt Old Town here. In total, 35 houses were newly built — among them 15 so-called creative reconstructions, that is, faithful rebuilds of historic old-town houses, some incorporating preserved spolia (original components such as portals, coats of arms or figures). The remaining buildings are modern new-builds that deliberately fit into the historic picture in scale, material and roof shape.

The quarter opened to the public on 9 May 2018. From 28 to 30 September 2018, Frankfurt celebrated the opening with a large old-town festival that drew more than 250,000 visitors. The project’s total cost was around €200 million, of which about €75 million came back through the sale of the flats.

The project was not without controversy: critics saw a prettified stage set, supporters the recovery of a lost civic identity. As you walk through today, you’re free to form your own judgement — the debate is part of the place.

The finest houses and squares

The heart of the quarter is the Hühnermarkt, a small, cosy square with the Stoltze Fountain, named after the Frankfurt dialect poet Friedrich Stoltze. Around it stand the finest reconstructions.

Don’t miss:

• Haus zur Goldenen Waage (House of the Golden Scales): the showpiece of the area, a magnificent late-Renaissance timber-framed house with a richly decorated façade and a restored rooftop garden (the “Belvederchen”).
• The row of houses on the Hühnermarkt: closely packed gabled houses that bring the medieval streetscape back to life.
• The Coronation Route (Krönungsweg): the historic route along which the Holy Roman emperors processed from their coronation in the cathedral to the banquet in the Römer. You cross the quarter on exactly this path.
• The Archaeological Garden: right by the cathedral you can marvel at the excavated foundations of a Roman settlement and a Carolingian royal palace — roofed and freely accessible.

A walk through the New Old Town

It’s best to start at the Römerberg with its famous timber-framed façades and the Römer, Frankfurt’s town hall. From there you dive into the lanes of the New Old Town, follow the Coronation Route eastwards and take your time on the Hühnermarkt. Glance into the windows of the small shops and cafés that have set up in the houses.

At the end you reach the Imperial Cathedral of St Bartholomew, where German kings were elected and crowned for centuries. Climbing the cathedral tower (when the viewing platform is open) rewards you with a wonderful view over the old town and the skyline. Right next door, the Historical Museum is worth a visit: with the Treuner brothers’ old-town model it shows how the quarter looked before its destruction — the perfect complement to your walk.

For the loop through the New Old Town alone, 45 to 60 minutes is enough. If you add the cathedral, the Römer, the museum and a coffee break, reckon on a half day.

Practical tips

• Getting there: best by U-Bahn to Römer station (U4/U5) or Dom/Römer. The quarter is car-free and can only be explored on foot.
• Best time: early morning or late afternoon is quieter and the light on the façades is loveliest. Weekends and the Christmas season get busy.
• Christmas market: around the Römerberg and New Old Town, one of Germany’s most beautiful Christmas markets takes place — a special experience.
• Photography: the Hühnermarkt and the Golden Scales are the most popular subjects — come early if you want them free of crowds.
• Combine: pair the visit with the Historical Museum, the cathedral and a wander across the Römerberg for a rounded old-town day.

Is it worth it?

Absolutely. The New Old Town is an extraordinary place — not real medieval fabric, but not a mere backdrop either, rather a serious attempt to give a city back a piece of its identity. It’s precisely this tension between reconstruction and the present that makes the quarter so interesting. Where else do you walk along a medieval coronation route while a few hundred metres away the banking towers rise into the sky?

My advice: take your time, look into the courtyards and details, and read the little plaques on the houses about their history. Combine the walk with the cathedral and the Historical Museum, and you’ll understand not only how beautiful the New Old Town is, but also why it means so much to Frankfurt.