Seat of the European Central Bank

Frankfurt-Bornheim/Ostend, Germany

Exterior only

Visible from the street; the inside is private.

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The Seat of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt's Bornheim-Ostend district comprises a striking deconstructivist ensemble completed in 2014 and officially opened on 18 March 2015. Designed by Coop Himmelb(l)au and Wolf D. Prix, the complex centers on a twin-tower skyscraper rising 185 meters, complemented by the city's preserved Großmarkthalle (Wholesale Market Hall) and a connecting low-rise structure. The building consolidates the ECB's operations, which had previously occupied multiple sites—the Eurotower and later the Eurotheum and Japan Center—as the institution's responsibilities expanded with eurozone membership. Located in Germany's primary financial hub, the complex reflects both the ECB's institutional growth and Frankfurt's architectural evolution, anchoring the bank's required presence within the city as mandated by European Union treaties.