On a recent, and very brief, trip to Frankfurt, Germany, I took advantage of an excellent tour of the city furnished by Frankfurt am Main tourism. The tour was both bus based as well as on foot, and was an excellent introduction to this important and, often times, misunderstood city. Amongst my more unique discoveries was one of the most expensive public bathrooms in Europe.
The posh €900,000 lavatory in question lies in the heart of the Alstadt, the historic center of the city, near the Paulskirche. The tremendous expense comes primarily from its location in one of the most visited areas of Frankfurt.
In the interest of finding some local color, I descended the lofty staircase down to the underground water-closet and was shocked by what I found. I was instantly confronted with one of the most beautiful public bathrooms I have ever seen.
If IKEA were involved in the construction of public works, surely this is what they would create. There was a central reception desk and to either side were the entrances to the ultra modern and chic restrooms, complete with complimentary wash cloths. The men’s urinals are free, but to use a stall will run the needy traveler around €0.50. No comment.
The facilities themselves were just as modern and well designed as their surroundings, and I found myself not wanting to leave. Unfortunately I received some pretty strange looks when I started taking photos, so I made a quick and discrete exit.
I’m not sure if the bathrooms were worth the lofty price tag, but for once it was a joy to use a public restroom.
