“Langer Franz”

Some time ago, a group campaigning for the preservation of the city’s important historic buildings – the ‘Neue Brückenbauverein Frankfurt am Main’ – initiated a broad-based fundraising campaign. It was aimed at reconstructing Frankfurt’s original town hall tower, the roof of which was destroyed 80 years ago during the war. Under the motto “Give Tall Franz his hat back”, they collected 1,200 individual donations, totalling 1.5 million euros, a sum which far exceeding the original donation target. The popular name of the tower dates back to Franz Adickes, the Lord Mayor of Frankfurt am Main from 1891 to 1912, during whose term of office the New Town Hall was built.

Thomas Kästner, schneider+schumacher and Bollinger+Grohmann all worked together to plan the reconstruction of the spire, based on historical photos of the tower prior to 1944 and surviving plans. In November 2023, a building application was submitted to the Frankfurt planning office. The building permit has now been granted, and was presented by Lord Mayor Mike Josef and City Councillor Prof. Dr Marcus Gwechenberger.

Reconstruction of the old spire is due to begin later this year. “Lange Franz”, currently 45 metres high and covered with only a makeshift roof after the Second World War, will thus regain its original overall height of 68 metres.

Photo above (from left): Björn Wissenbach, Till Schneider, Lord Mayor Mike Josef, Christoph Mäckler, Konrad von Bethmann, Afina Matthias and city councillor Prof Dr Marcus Gwechenberger.

Photo above: Brückenbauverein

Photo right: Francis W. von Goetz