Messe Torhaus

Frankfurt-Innenstadt II, Germany

Exterior only

Visible from the street; the inside is private.

Find out more

Messe Torhaus is a 117-meter, 30-story postmodern high-rise in Frankfurt's Bockenheim district, designed by Oswald Mathias Ungers and completed in 1984. Built by Hochtief in the remarkable span of 13 months, the 60,000-ton structure exhibits an arresting architectural form: a triangular concave base supports a red-stone-clad outer façade pierced by large square openings front and back, through which a taller mirror-glazed inner component rises—an unusual composition likened to a guillotine. Beyond housing the administration headquarters of Messe Frankfurt, the building accommodates diverse public services across its floors, including exhibition support facilities, a kindergarten, press center, prayer room, tourist information, and commercial amenities. Located adjacent to the CHP Mainova AG power plant, the tower has earned the colloquial nickname "Frankfurt's most beautiful fireplace."