Goethe House, Frankfurt

Arriving in Frankfurt, Germany on an Air China flight in the early winter morning, I took the hotel shuttle bus from the airport to the hotel. As I could only check in in the afternoon, I went sightseeing in the city first. I bought a day pass for public transportation, took the S9 subway to the central train station, and then strolled around the north bank of the Main River and the attractions around Römer Square. I visited Goethe House, the home of the German Romantic writer and thinker. Goethe House is located at 23-25 Großer Hirschgraben, 60311 Frankfurt am Main, and is a three-story beige building. Goethe lived here for 50 years, from 1782 to 1832. Goethe was born on August 28, 1749, into a wealthy family in Frankfurt. His father was a lawyer, and his mother was the daughter of the mayor. At the age of 16, he went to Leipzig University to study law at his father's request, but his true passion was for natural science and art. As a young man, he wrote the novel The Sorrows of Young Werther, and over his lifetime, he wrote more than 150 volumes of work. Next to the house is a gallery displaying pictures of his works. The second floor introduces the awakening of German Romanticism, and the third floor introduces the spread of Romanticism. In the house and gallery, I saw several groups of students being led by teachers, who gave them lively literature lessons on the spot! In 1775, at the age of 26, Goethe was invited to Weimar by Duke August of the small principality of Weimar. He was trusted by Duke August and served as a privy councilor and prime minister. In 1782, Goethe was granted noble status. The house is magnificent, reflecting the noble status of its owner. I had lunch at a restaurant next to the house, and in the evening, I took a photo of the Goethe statue in the city center.