Bankenviertel (banking district) is the name of the central business district in Frankfurt, Germany. It designates an area in the city centre, where many banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions are located. It is the most important financial centre in Germany and one of the largest in Europe along with La Défense in the Paris aire urbaine and London's City and Canary Wharf.
Having no official or strict borders, it is commonly defined as the western part of the Innenstadt, the southern part of the Westend and the eastern part of the Bahnhofsviertel. Its most central square is the Opernplatz.
The Bankenviertel is not an official city district and has no officially or strictly defined borders. It stretches across three city districts: the western part of the Innenstadt, the southern part of the Westend and the eastern part of the Bahnhofsviertel. Many of the largest banks in Germany, e.g. Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank, DZ Bank and Helaba, have their corporate headquarters here, as well as many representation offices of foreign banks. It is also the place where most of Frankfurts high-rises and skyscrapers are located, which gave it also the name Mainhattan.