“Großer Stein” – a name that hardly sparks any imagination. It’s simply “Big Stone”. But in Frankfurt (Oder), it’s much more than that. Stand here, on the Große Scharrnstraße, a street resurrected like a phoenix from the ashes of WWII. Look at the Großer Stein – it’s a monumental stone, and it’s the only remnant of the old medieval city that survived the bombing. It has, to put it mildly, seen better days. Carved with the city’s coat of arms, it’s a stark reminder of the past.
Imagine a time when Frankfurt was a thriving center of trade. Over 180 shops, taverns, and tailor workshops lined the streets. The Großer Stein watched over them all, as silent as the stone it is. Today, surrounded by post-modern architecture, it gives the feeling of a silent sentinel standing watch over the city.
The Große Scharrnstraße, that strip of pedestrianized pavement right in front of you, got a facelift in the 1980s. It was a time when the East German government wanted to present the city as a flourishing example of socialist architecture. Their vision was to create a lively promenade lined with stores. You can still see the remnants of that era in the architecture around you.
Unfortunately, after Germany’s reunification, many residents left the city. The Großen Scharrnstraße, once envisioned as a bustling center, fell silent. Only a few shops survived. But the Großer Stein remained, a silent witness to the city’s ebb and flow. But the stone still stands, a reminder of the city’s resilience and the enduring power of history.