Lost Place in Frankfurt: Former Police Headquarters
On 10 May 2026, I visited the former Police Headquarters in Frankfurt am Main together with a friend. We took part in a guided tour led by a former criminal commissioner. He guided us through the vast building with great expertise and shared numerous stories – both about the architecture and history of the complex and about the people who were once imprisoned there.
The Old Police Headquarters ranks among the best-known lost places right in the middle of Frankfurt. Its progressive decay exerts a particular fascination. Built between 1911 and 1914 in a mix of Neo-Baroque and Neo-Classical styles, the building complex is located on Friedrich-Ebert-Anlage in the Gallus district, near the main railway station. From 1914 until 2002 it served as the headquarters of the Frankfurt police. During the Second World War it was almost half destroyed and was rebuilt by 1954. In the partially still preserved, extremely spartan cells sat, among others, well-known RAF terrorists such as Andreas Baader. In 2002 the police moved to a modern new building on Adickesallee, and since then the extensive complex has stood largely empty. In the interim there were occasional interim uses, for example as a discotheque, of which scattered wall paintings still bear witness today.
Upon entering the building, the strong contrast between decay and former splendour becomes apparent: peeling paint, hanging wallpaper and a severely neglected interior meet well-preserved architectural details – Art Nouveau windows, mighty columns and elaborately designed stair railings. Long corridors, dilapidated rooms, the inner courtyard, graffiti, window openings, the old prison cells and even the toilets for the inmates tell silent stories. Entering on one’s own is forbidden and, due to the dilapidated condition, dangerous. Providers such as Frankfurter Stadt-Events regularly offer guided tours that usually last a good two hours and may only be undertaken wearing a safety helmet. For photographers the location is a particular highlight.
I photographed with the OM Systems OM-3 and the OM Systems 12-45mm PRO lens, entirely in RAW. The colour shots initially appeared rather unspectacular. Only the conversion to black and white with Silver Efex produced the desired effect: through a deliberate play with light and contrasts, partly ghostly atmospheres emerged that distinctly intensified the mood of the place. The drama of the dilapidated rooms, the long corridors and the bare cells came out clearly.
The future of the site has not yet been finally clarified. The historic façade and certain parts of the building are listed and are to be renovated, while large sections of the complex are expected to be demolished. The State of Hesse has sold the site. A modern inner-city quarter with offices, a hotel and residential units as well as an approximately 175-metre-high high-rise in the inner courtyard is planned. Implementation is currently delayed after the Düsseldorf-based project developer Gerchgroup filed for insolvency in August 2023.
The visit was an exciting outing that proved rewarding both historically and photographically. Anyone interested should register for one of the guided tours offered by Frankfurter Stadt-Events (https://www.frankfurter-stadtevents.de/).
A camera should definitely be taken along.
