Frankfurt City Forest, Urban forest in Frankfurt, Germany

Frankfurt City Forest is a municipal woodland south of the Main covering about 35 square kilometres, roughly 14 percent of the city. It is traditionally divided into the elevated Oberwald and Unterwald, separated near the Mörfelder Landstraße, and the low-lying Schwanheimer Wald. Eight standing waters lie within it, seven created in the 20th century; the largest, the six-hectare Jacobiweiher, was formed in 1931/32 by damming the Königsbach.

Frankfurt received the forest in 1372 from Emperor Charles IV, marking a major expansion of the city's holdings. This transfer later led to lengthy disputes over land use and access rights.

The forest serves as a meeting place for city residents who come here to walk, jog, or spend time with their families. You regularly see groups picnicking or sitting on benches throughout the woods.

The forest is easy to explore on foot or by bicycle, as the paths are well-maintained and marked. There are several entry points and parking areas throughout, so it helps to plan where you want to start.

The Schäfersteinpfad, or Shepherd Stone Path, is named for the boundary stones set along it after the 1484 compromise between Frankfurt and the Teutonic Knights over grazing rights. The stones mark the forest's edge rather than lead along it, and the path recalls the centuries of dispute that ended with the city paying to graze sheep on limited land.