Location:

One will find a thousand years’ worth of history at St. Martin’s Cathedral, or Mainz Cathedral. Its outside image changed as time passed, and now shows elements of Romanticism, Gothic and Baroque architecture. However, the museum of the cathedral and the diocese are also worth a visit. The exhibit shows art work from two millennia that once were on display at the Cathedral.

Johannes Gutenberg is considered to be the inventor of modern book printing with his movable type, and was most likely born in Mainz. The citizens honour their greatest son of the federal state capital not only with a holiday — the Johannisfest — but also with many monuments and the renowned Gutenberg Museum. Beside the standing exhibit, where visitors may see, among others, the originals of the Gutenberg Bible, there are many special exhibits created regularly. The print shop allows the visitors to try and print something themselves.

Even the Romans valued the location of the city as they came to the Rhine in about 52 BCE. A place named ‘Mogontiacum’ had originally been founded in 13/12 BCE as a legion camp and quickly developed into a settlement. Five hundred years’ history left significant traces behind and now makes the heart of anyone interested in Roman history beat faster. In this regard, the Museum of Ancient Seafaring is not the only interesting location. It showcases, among others, a shipwreck and two precisely recreated military ships. The Sanctuary of Isis and Magna Mater under the Römerpassage centre are also fascinating. In addition, the stone work left by the Romans (remains of an aqueduct), a Roman stage theatre, the Drususstein (Drusus Stone) and a few more traces all indicate the presence of Romans. There is much more to see in this area at the Central Roman and Germanic Museum.

Mainz Citadel is located on Jakobsberg hill, just beside the Roman theatre. The structure was a part of the fortress of Mainz and was built in its current form around the year 1660. The monument devoted to the then-leader Drusus, built by Romans, the core of which survives to the present day as the Drususstein, suggests that this location was valued even back then. The site and the surroundings are witnesses of the city’s history in the smallest available space: Beginning with the Roman monument, moving on to the barracks from the time of the federal fortress in the 19th century, all the way to the air raid bunkers of World War II. The area today is not just a museum, and some city offices are located here; it is also the place where some events are held.

In the year 990 CE, the catholic parish church was founded by archbishop Willigis on the city’s tallest hill. Today, it appeals with the beauty of the windows by Marc Chagall — 200,000 visitors come to see them every year. It is the only German church, for which a Jewish artist had created windows. Beside the famed Chagall windows, do not forget to visit the late-Gothic gardens of the Rhineland and Palatinate regions.

Where would the locals be without the carnival? Naturally, the citizens of Mainz devoted more than a monument to their favourite festival. They devoted an entire museum. Not that far from the zany fountain with its over 200 playful figures, there is the carnival museum. Schiller Square itself is a great place to relax after a long day.

St. Augustin’s Church, in Augustinerstrasse, just beside out location, is almost invisible. The church belonged once to the local Augustinian hermits, and today is the seminarian church of the seminary of the Roman Catholic diocese of Mainz. Behind the almost unnoticeable sandstone portal, one will find a beautifully arranged rococo interior. As the church was almost completely spared during World War II, many of its original elements may be seen there.

Mainz has many wonderful corners and locations to spend a cosy afternoon or take a walk in the city. The Rhine banks are a particularly homely attraction in summer. Be it a boat ride or just a place to sit in comfort, here you have no limits to your creativity. However, if anyone would prefer it green, consider the Volkspark of Mainz or the botanical garden.