Organisation
Hesse
Hesse’s people have everything going for them – and not just in the world of finance. The banking metropolis of Frankfurt has certainly established Hesse’s international reputation. However, there are also cultural treasures and glorious countryside aplenty in this federal state, which used to share a border with the GDR and now lies right in the middle of the Federal Republic in the wake of the political changes since 1989. Comprising the territories of several historical principalities, Hesse was established in its current form in 1945.
A financial fulcrum and key air travel hub
European Central Bank in Frankfurt
Hesse has one of the healthiest economies in Germany and is also one of the most densely populated federal states. The economic heartland is the Rhine-Main area, with Frankfurt am Main as the largest city. Frankfurt Airport plays a key role in this respect as a major international air transport hub. Frankfurt is one of the foremost European financial centres, boasting the German Stock Exchange, the Bundesbank, the European Central Bank (ECB) and nearly 400 other banks. The skyscrapers housing these banks are one of the key defining elements in the city’s world-famous skyline.
Frankfurt, which played a significant role in German history as the seat of the German Confederation (from 1816 to 1866) and subsequently as the seat of the first freely elected German parliament (1848/49), is also an important trade fair centre. The Frankfurt Book Fair has built on its solid traditions and now showcases more publishing houses than any similar fair anywhere in the world. The state capital, Wiesbaden, is renowned both as a congress centre and for its spa facilities.
Wiesbaden, the state capital
Twelve public universities and a host of other higher education institutions offer first-class research and teaching facilities. A higher than average percentage of students in Hesse take degrees in disciplines particularly crucial to the economy, such as information science, engineering and the natural sciences. And that’s not all: Geisenheim, an important wine-growing town in the Rhine District, offers students an opportunity to take a degree in viticulture – a tradition dating right back to 1872. Darmstadt, famed for its Technical University, is the first German city to have received the “City of Science” accolade.
Culture and tradition galore
Hesse’s cosmopolitan cultural scene reflects its location right at the heart of Europe, yet is also imbued with a sense of the state’s particular traditions and history. Outstanding cultural institutions, such as the State Theatre and numerous state museums, are housed in former aristocratic residences. The Rheingau Music Festival offers musical and gastronomic delights in palaces, churches and wine-growing estates.
A refreshing local speciality: apple wine
A good 120 years ago, the citizens of Gießen managed to collect two-thirds of the funds for construction of the State Theatre. Nowadays dramatic productions flourish in Hesse’s many state, city-run and independent theatres.
Every five years, contemporary art collectors around the world focus their gaze on Kassel, home to the documenta art show since 1955. The city’s public art collections are also a magnet for visitors.
Further outstanding collections ranging from the Middle Ages to modern art are on display in Frankfurt’s Städel Museum; the city’s Museum of Modern Art (MMK) has a strong reputation in the realm of contemporary art.
Hesse boasts a higher percentage of woodland than any other federal state. The stretches of the Central Uplands found in Hesse, such as the Rhön Mountains and the Taunus, are a particular attraction, making this a popular holiday destination for visitors in search of a relaxing break.
| State Capital | Wiesbaden |
| Surface area | 21,115 km2 | |
| Population | 6.11 million | |
| Number of votes in the Bundesrat | 5 | |
| Government party | CDU / FDP | |
| Minister President | Volker Bouffier |
