Attraction · Frankfurt · Updated on 1 November 2026.

Hauptwache in Frankfurt

Hauptwache is an attraction in Frankfurt, Hesse, Germany. This place has a story in the app. 47 of the 50 well-known points of interest nearby are within 1 km. Within 100 m you'll find a water point, a bike pump, a public toilet and a bench.

Directions in Google Maps

The story

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Story · Hauptwache

You're standing on the Hauptwache, one of the best-known squares in Frankfurt. First, find the small Baroque building in red sandstone. That's the Hauptwache itself, and the whole square is named after it. Look at that tall mansard roof, then at the south side. There's a triangular pediment there, carved by the Frankfurt sculptor Bernhard Schwarzenburger.

Read the whole story in the Outdoor Pitstop app: check in at this place and it is yours (with Pro; new users are Pro for the first 4 weeks).

Opening hours and admission

Wheelchair: Partly accessible

Source: OpenStreetMap and Wikidata.

Photos

10 photos from Wikimedia Commons. In the app you add your own photo when you are there.

1 / 10

Photo: Dr. Thomas Liptak · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0View the photo on Wikimedia Commons

Hauptwache in Frankfurt: former guardhouse with café

The Hauptwache in Frankfurt is a former guardhouse dating from 1729. The city militia was stationed here, and there was also a prison. Today a café occupies the building, so you can simply stop in for a cup of coffee. The square around it shares its name and is a well-known square in the city. The Zeil, the main shopping street, also starts here. You will find the Hauptwache at An der Hauptwache 15, in the centre of Frankfurt. Nearby are the Paulskirche at 294 metres, the Römer at 396 metres and the Alte Oper at 560 metres.

What you can see at the Hauptwache

The building is small and has only one storey. It is made of red sandstone and has a tall mansard roof. Look at the south side, where you will find a triangular tympanum by Frankfurt sculptor Bernhard Schwarzenburger. Around the building you will mostly find modern houses and offices, as little survived the war. On the south side of the square, the Katharinenkirche rises above everything else. This church was rebuilt after the war. Part of the square lies lower than the street. Frankfurters call this part das Loch, the hole. You can walk down the steps to shops and one of the busiest stations in the city.

The history of the Hauptwache

The building dates from 1729 and 1730. The city first wanted a taller building, but the neighbours objected, so Johann Jacob Samhaier drew up a lower design. At that time Frankfurt was still an independent city-state with its own city walls and army, and the square was called the Paradeplatz. In 1833 a small group of revolutionaries tried to storm the guardhouse, but the uprising failed. Prussia took over the city in 1866, and the building's military role came to an end. In 1920 soldiers fired on students protesting against the occupation here. The building burned out completely and reopened only in 1954, as a temporary solution. When the underground railway arrived, the Hauptwache was demolished entirely in 1967, and a year later a rebuilt version stood almost on the same spot, above the new station.

Toilets, drinking water and benches nearby

Around the Hauptwache you'll find plenty of facilities close together. The nearest drinking water point is the Hauptwache-Brunnen, 10 metres away, and there are 4 drinking water points within 500 metres. If you have a bike with you, you can pump up your tyres at Steinweg, 47 metres away. That bike pump is free to use, and there are 2 bike pumps within 500 metres. The nearest public toilet is at An der Hauptwache, 65 metres away, and it is free. There are 6 public toilets within 500 metres in the area. The closest bench is at Friedrich-Stoltze-Platz, 101 metres away. Within 500 metres there are 102 benches, so you'll soon find a spot to rest.

Walking and more to see nearby

From the Hauptwache, you can walk to more sights in the centre of Frankfurt. At St. Paul's Church and the Römer, you can listen to an audio story, so you learn more about these buildings on the spot. Carry on a little further and after 568 metres you reach the Imperial Cathedral of Saint Bartholomew. This church also has an audio story. If you want to visit a museum, the Städel Museum is a 1,187-metre walk. You can listen to an audio story there too. In this way, the Hauptwache becomes the start of a short city walk.

Facilities near Hauptwache

The nearest pitstop of each kind within 1 km, as the crow flies. No honesty box within 1 km.

Well-known points of interest nearby

50 well-known points of interest nearby, those with an audio tour first. 47 of the 50 well-known points of interest nearby are within 1 km.

MuseumAudio story · 2 min

Städel Museum · 1.2 km

Photo: Simsalabimbam · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0View the photo on Wikimedia Commons

AttractionAudio story · 2 min

Römer · 400 m

Photo: Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 deView the photo on Wikimedia Commons

AttractionAudio story · 2 min

Imperial Cathedral of Saint Bartholomew · 570 m

Photo: rupp.de · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0View the photo on Wikimedia Commons

MuseumAudio story · 2 min

Senckenberg Naturmuseum · 2 km

Photo: Mylius · Wikimedia Commons · GFDL 1.2View the photo on Wikimedia Commons

AttractionAudio story · 2 min

St. Paul's Church · 290 m

Photo: Jörg Braukmann · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0View the photo on Wikimedia Commons

Hear the story of Städel Museum on the spot with the app

All 135 points of interest in Frankfurt →

Also within walking distance

The 5 nearest points of interest with a story, within 2 km.

All 135 points of interest in Frankfurt →

Walks within 2 km

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Cycle routes within 5 km

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Frequently asked questions

What is the Hauptwache in Frankfurt am Main?

The Hauptwache is a landmark and one of the best-known squares in Frankfurt. It is named after the small red sandstone building. The building dates from 1729 and 1730 and was once the guard post of the city militia, which also included a prison.

When was the Hauptwache in Frankfurt built?

The Hauptwache was built in 1729 and 1730. In 1967 the building was demolished, and a year later it was rebuilt almost on the same spot, above the new metro station.

Can you get a coffee at the Hauptwache in Frankfurt?

Yes, a café has been inside the Hauptwache for a long time, so you can go in for a cup of coffee.

What can you see at the Hauptwache in Frankfurt?

At the Hauptwache you can see the building with a high mansard roof and a triangular pediment on the south side, made by Bernhard Schwarzenburger. The Katharinenkirche, the sunken square "das Loch" and the start of the shopping street Zeil are also close by.

Which attractions are close to the Hauptwache in Frankfurt?

St. Paul's Church is 294 metres from the Hauptwache, the Römer is 396 metres away and the Alte Oper is 560 metres away.

Where can you find a public toilet near the Hauptwache in Frankfurt?

The nearest public toilet is 65 metres away, on An der Hauptwache, and it is free to use. Within 500 metres there are 6 public toilets.