Karmeliterkloster, Frankfurt am Main

Built between 1460 and 1520, this historic monastery is worth a visit for its architecture alone. Yet there is much more to see than just thick brick walls. The refectory is considered to be one of the most beautiful Renaissance-period buildings in the city, and Joerg Ratgeb's frescos in the hallway rank among the most important wall-paintings in the whole of Europe. After the last monks (of the Karmeliter Order) left the monastery in 1803, it was turned into a military barracks. Nowadays, Karmeliterkloster is home to the Museum of Early History, the Institute of Urban History and a public art gallery.