Visitors to the city can climb the Cathedral Tower via 328 steps. From the viewing platform at a height of 66 meters, they can enjoy an unparalleled view of the surrounding (new) Old Town with Römer and Paulskirche with the famous skyline in the background, as well as Frankfurt's Museum Embankment on the Main River.
But not only the view from the nearly 95 meter high cathedral tower is worth seeing, also because of its historical significance as well as its furnishings, the Frankfurt Imperial Cathedral is one of the main sights of the city. It bears the name of the holy apostle St. Bartholomew and was built in the Gothic style between 1315 and 1358 over the remains of a palace chapel built by Louis the Pious in 822. In the Middle Ages, the sacred building was the seat of the imperial cathedral chapter of St. Bartholomew, and in 1356 Emperor Charles IV designated Frankfurt as the site of German royal elections in the "Golden Bull", and from 1562 a total of ten German emperors and kings of the Holy Roman Empire were elected or crowned in the imperial cathedral. Today, the "Election Chapel" is a space for silent prayer.
The art treasures of the Imperial Cathedral include, among many others, the Mary's Sleep Altar by an unknown artist from the 15th century, the painting of the Lamentation of Christ by Antonius van Dyck, as well as the tombs of famous Frankfurt personalities and the skull reliquary of St. Bartholomew the Apostle. Those who wish to learn more about the life of Bartholomew or the history of the cathedral can do so in the neighboring Cathedral Museum. A special highlight of the cathedral treasure, which is exhibited in the cathedral museum as a chronological tour, are the grave goods, which were found in the grave of a Merovingian girl from the 7th century.
Unfortunately, the history of the collegiate church is also marked by two destructions: the cathedral fire in August 1867 and the bombing of the city in March 1944. The construction measures required after both events have changed the church considerably in parts, but have not diminished its importance. The present building is a hall church with three naves, its monumental west tower from the 15th century is one of the great achievements of the German Gothic style. A special part of a special building, the tower houses the iron belfry with the Gloriosa, the second heaviest bell in Germany, weighing 11,950 kilograms.
