St. Paul's Church (Paulskirche)

After WWII destroyed much of Frankfurt’s historic center, it was the late 18th-century St. Paul's Church (Paulskirche) that was rebuilt first – a fitting tribute to the symbolic significance of the holy building. The landmark church is renowned as more than just a center of worship – it was also the seat of the first freely elected German parliament and the location of the German National Assembly inauguration on 18th May 1848.
Since reopening in 1948 to mark the parliament’s 100th anniversary, St Paul’s has ceased to be used for church services but remains an important symbol of democratic Germany, hosting a number of ceremonies and exhibitions in its public halls. Most notable is the large-scale circular mural ‘The Path of the Representatives to St. Paul’s Church’, completed by Berlin artist Johannes Grützke in 1991, which chronicles the history of united and democratic Germany. The building itself is equally impressive – a dramatic oval-shaped structure, crafted from red sandstone and fronted by a lone bell tower.