the Kaisersaal, the walls of which are covered with portraits of the emperors. The golden bull of Charles IV., which regulated the election of the emperors, is preserved in the building.
The Römer
The founder of the house of Rothschild and his children were born in the Judenstrasse, but almost the whole W. part of this street has since been pulled down. The streets which command most traffic are the Fahrgasse and Schnurgasse, and among the fine streets are the avenues near the city gates and the Schöne Aussicht along the quay. Frankfort is surrounded by a belt of promenades (Anlagen) connecting the gates of the city, which are among the finest pleasure grounds in Europe. Delightful villages, as Bockenheim, Bornheim, Oberrad, &c., are within a short distance of the city, as well as several watering places, such as Homburg, Soden, and Wiesbaden. There are several private and public picture galleries. The Städel museum, so called after its founder, who bequeathed to it $400,000 besides valuable art collections, contains a library and a school of art. Bethmann's garden contains Dannecker's “Ariadne” and his colossal bust of Schiller. In the public library are about 100,000 volumes and many important MSS. The museum of the Senkenberg society of naturalists contains among its principal collections that of Dr. Rüppell, the Abyssinian traveller. Besides a gymnasium, there are many public and private schools. The city is divided into 90 alms districts for the relief of the poor, and there are more than 30 charitable institutions and hospitals. There are four Catholic, six Lutheran, and two Reformed churches, four Lutheran chapels, an English chapel, and two new synagogues. The principal of the Catholic churches is the cathedral or church of St. Bartholomew, a Gothic structure, in which from 1711 the German emperors were crowned. The tower of the church had in 1512 attained 267 ft., when the work was discontinued. The interior of the tower was destroyed by fire in 1867, but by the aid of the Prussian government it is to be restored and to be finished according to the original plan. The most celebrated Lutheran churches are the Katharinen Kirche, where the first Lutheran sermon was preached in 1522, and that of St. Paul (formerly Barfüsserkirche), where the German parliament was held in 1848 and 1849. The theatre of Frankfort is among the best in Germany. The post office on the Zeil is a stately building, as well as the exchange. The once famous fairs have declined in importance since the opening of railways, and while the quantity of goods brought to them in 1842 amounted to 102,000 quintals, it was only 34,500 quintals in 1870. The horse fairs, however, are still active. Frankfort continues to be a good market for wine, cider, beer, breadstuffs, and meats. The amount of duties paid on imports during the year ending Sept. 30, 1872, was about $775,000. Many diamond dealers having removed from Paris to Frankfort during the Franco-German war, the export of jewelry has increased from only about $6,000 in previous years to upward of $200,000 in 1871. The export of human hair and hair work has also increased from about $400 to over $70,000, and nearly half of it goes to the United States. The total exports to the United States from Oct. 1, 1871, to Oct. 1, 1872, amounted to $1,448,925, being chiefly leather, hides, skins, hatter's fur, jewelry and precious stones, and linen, woollen, and cotton goods. There are many banking houses, foremost among which are those of Rothschild and Bethmann. The number of houses, chiefly Jewish, engaged in the stock and exchange business amounts to at least 200. The magnitude of this business is due partly to the great wealth of the city, and partly to its geographical situation, which makes it a convenient medium of exchange; and it is the most important continental market for American securities. The chief local manufactures are carpets, table covers, jewelry, playing cards, oilcloth, tobacco, snuff, and Frankfort black. The extensive manufactories at Offenbach and in other neighboring localities are mainly conducted by Frankfort houses. Since the annexation of the city to Prussia, a great impulse has been given to its industry; and in particular, extensive type founderies and manufactories of sewing
