Today, millions of visitors from all over the world visit the various trade fairs in Frankfurt every year. But even in earlier times, fairs, markets and trade occupied a significant place in Frankfurt's everyday life. Around the year 1600, the city had about 20,000 inhabitants. At fair times, between 4,000 and 5,000 people from outside the fair came to the city, of which around 2,000 were merchants. The centre of the fair was in the old part of the town: above all around the Römerberg and along the Neue Kräme up to the Liebfrauenberg and along the bank of the Main between St. Leonhard and Leinwandhaus. The busy traffic of goods and foreign merchants shaped the city and its buildings. The architecture, history and function of the large office buildings still bear impressive witness to the importance of Frankfurt as a city of trade fairs and commerce at that time. What was a trade fair anyway? What kind of money was used for payment? And who was actually allowed to live in this city between the 13th and 17th centuries? These and many other exciting questions will be addressed on the city walk.
Stadtgang mit Hannes Pflügner
Treffpunkt: Foyer des HMF
Text source and further information: https://www.historisches-museum-frankfurt.de/de/node/6914
