Frankfurt, where art and history run deep

Oct 8 2010 By Ross McCarthy

Ross McCarthy explores the riches in the region around Frankfurt.

Fifteen miles south east of Frankfurt lies a window into the deep past of the natural history of planet Earth.

“It is incredible to think how many species are still not known,” explains Dr Marie-Luise Frey, of the Grube Messel fossil site, which has revealed great scientific treasures and given us a unique insight into the ancient past of life.

The attraction is one of many places of interest near the busy metropolis of Frankfurt, a German city twinned with Birmingham and at the heart of Europe.

Of course the citizens of Birmingham get a little taste of Frankfurt when the Christmas market arrives each year.

But it is probably most associated with being a centre for banking and finance, trade fairs and having one of the world’s busiest airports.

Seen at night, from the banks of the river Main, the city is an impressive sight and from here you can also appreciate why it enjoys an excellent reputation as a city of culture with 26 museums on or near the promenade offering a wide variety of displays.

With its historic centre and busy night life, there is plenty to fill a city break – it is just an hour-and-20-minute flight away

However, it is worth going beyond the hustle and bustle of the city and exploring Frankfurt Rhein-Main, which is as large as the West Midlands and one of Germany’s most diverse regions.

But anyone looking for a truly unique experience should take a trip to the Messel pit. Situated deep in the countryside, it proved quite difficult to find, but once there we were taken by Dr Frey to a viewing platform looking over a disused quarry, which millions of years ago was the bed of a lake more than 50 metres deep and surrounded by sub-tropical forests.

Here, 13 million years after the extinction of the dinosaurs and at a time when mammals started to populate the Earth, fossils have been preserved in oilshale in minute detail.