The city of Mainz in Germany: history and interesting places. Extreme Sports

The ancient German city of Mainz with a population of over 209 thousand people is the capital of the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate. Located on the western bank of the Rhine. This is important industrial centre region, known throughout the world for its wineries and a significant center of culture and science for the country. In 2011, it received the title of City of Science. On the other side of the river is the resort of Wiesbaden.

One of the best universities in the country operates in Mainz, and the offices of famous television and radio companies are located. It was J. Gutenberg, a native of the city, who created European printing. Today it plays a prominent role in the political, economic and cultural life of the country. The city, which is more than two thousand years old, is visited annually by thousands of tourists from different countries to explore local attractions.

At the beginning of our era, where Mainz is now located, there was a large Roman military settlement. He had his own religious buildings, one of which included a sculptural column, which was dedicated to the god Jupiter. This unique monument period of the Roman Empire was discovered by chance among fragments remaining after archaeological expenditures.

Over the course of a year, scientists assembled the column, which is exhibited in the Roman-Germanic Museum of the city. The column is believed to have been made by the Romans in the first century. It is one of the most complex and well-preserved artifacts of the ancient Roman era.

Location: Mainz Republic space.

One of the most memorable attractions of this German city is the famous local carnival, which begins annually on Maslenitsa. This holiday shows the Germans are not as dry and reserved as some people think. For three days the city is filled with wild fun, captivating the townspeople and guests of Mainz.

To achieve good luck in business, it is customary in the Rhine to “wash” wallets early on Wednesday morning during the carnival.

In the historical center of the city stands the majestic Cathedral of Saints Martin and Stephen, more commonly called Mainzen. It amazes with the abundance of naves and chapels, various sculptures, and the luxurious difference. Several organs play here. The temple is over a thousand years old.

The cathedral is considered one of the richest in the Christian world. Its numerous restorations after destruction preserved in the architecture, in addition to the Romanesque basis, Gothic elements and solutions characteristic of the Renaissance and Baroque. The interiors of the cathedral are rich in works of sacred art that have been collected for hundreds of years.

Location: Markt - 10.

The current Carmelite monastery was founded in the 13th century. In the next century it was built main church. The temple experienced destruction, fires and arson. During World War II, the facades were seriously damaged by Allied bombing.

The monks made a lot of efforts to restore the monastery. The damage caused was quickly and efficiently eliminated. Today, tourists have the opportunity to examine the architectural elements of the monastery, medieval paintings and bas-reliefs, as well as a unique medieval altar.

Location: Karmeliterstrase - 7.

In the 19th century, a bridge was built across the Rhine, connecting the center of Mainz with its area on the opposite bank. Once upon a time there was a crossing of the ancient Romans at this place, the foundation of which has survived to this day.

The built wide and graceful bridge, 475 meters long, became a decoration of the city. Its spans are decorated with colorful mosaic panels, and beautiful lanterns are installed on both sides of the roadway. Partially destroyed during the war, after its restoration the bridge was named after the first president of the Federal Republic of Germany, Theodor Heuss.

This beautiful palace in the Baroque style, built in 1730, it was intended for the master of the Teutonic organ. Later it became known as the German House. It is famous for the fact that after the conquest of German lands by Napoleon Bonaparte, the palace became the residence of the French emperor.

After the departure of the French troops, one of the Grand Dukes lived in it. Currently, the Mainz parliament and city management services operate in the German House.

Location: Platz der Mainzer Republik - 1.

The armory building was built on the banks of the Rhine in the mid-18th century. It is decorated with a sculpture of Mars, the god of war. Nearby is the Elector's coat of arms, shields, flags and various military symbols. This place was of great strategic importance.

Near it there was a military town with soldiers' barracks, a pontoon bridge, and defensive structures of the fortress wall. The premises of the armory are currently used for the city office. Access to it is limited. However, this does not prevent you from admiring the surrounding views.

The famous native of Mainz, J. Gutenberg, is known as a pioneer of European printing. One of the memorable symbols of the city is the bronze monument erected to it in 1837.

Its author is the Danish sculptor B. Thorvalien. Over time, the monument was damaged by corrosion and cracks in the metal. During a two-year restoration from 2008 to 2010, German metal restoration experts meticulously restored the monument to its original appearance.

Location: Gutenbergpl - 5.

Here in the Middle Ages there was a shopping arcade. The square, surrounded by greenery, has a triangular shape. It received its current name after the installation of a monument to F. Schiller in 1962.

Around it there are many wonderful houses in the Baroque style, decorated with rich vegetation and gardens. In 1967, a carnival fountain was installed on the square, depicting participants in the traditional Mainzen masquerade procession. This is where the pedestrian zone in the city center begins.

Location: Chillerplatz - 4.

This building is built on the site of the old traditional medieval town hall, which was damaged during the Second World War. Built in the 70s of the last century, it is not an architectural masterpiece.

This functional gray structure, built on the banks of the Rhine, has a clean, modern geometry. It is unusual among the old buildings in the central part of the city. Its remarkable feature is that it represents not only a city governance structure, but also a modern cultural center.

Location: Rheinstraße.

This brightly colored structure, decorated with various allegorical symbols, is considered one of the most valuable city attractions of the Renaissance period. Its creation on market square in the 16th century is associated with difficult times when the townspeople needed drinking water and support.

The symbols depicted on it, such as the scales of Justice, hourglasses and skulls and others, spoke of the fact that nothing under the moon lasts forever. For centuries, lovers have been meeting near this fountain and spending free time Meissenians.

Location: Korbgäßchen.

Johannes Gutenberg University Mainzen is one of the ten largest German universities. This is, in fact, a city within a city where they live and study 35 thousand students. The university has ten departments, where they train specialists in a variety of areas, from theology and medicine to chemistry and geographical disciplines.

The university includes one and a half hundred institutes and clinics of the medical department, as well as Higher Schools of Music and Arts. It is among the first in student exchange with foreign universities and in the number of foreign students studying. Education there is free.

It was created on the basis of the city Institute of Archeology and placed in the Electoral Palace, which is also called the Elector's Palace. This beautiful building with a pointed roof, turrets, and narrow vaulted windows richly decorated with bas-reliefs.

In the museum great amount exhibits related to the activities of the Romans in the city. Visitors have the opportunity to get acquainted with the work of restorers.

This Catholic church was founded in the 10th century, then it was destroyed and in the 18th century it was built in its current form. It is considered one of the most important city monuments, combining austerity with luxury in the early Baroque style. During an air raid in 1942, the church was badly damaged.

An ancient organ and unique frescoes were lost. In the post-war years, the temple was restored. In the 20th and 21st centuries, an altar decorated with paintings and bronze sculptures were installed. The functioning church hosts organ music concerts on weekends.

Location: Petersstrasse - 3.

On the highest hill of the city stands the Catholic parish church of St. Stephen. It was founded by a prominent statesman and church figure, the head of the German church, Archbishop Willigis. This temple is considered the oldest among the Gothic temples of the city.

It is notable for the fact that in 1973, the great Marc Chagall created unusual stained glass windows that have no analogues in Germany. Several windows for the façade of the church, which the artist managed to create before his death, are made in bright blue colors based on the theme biblical stories. In 2013, the church received the most modern organ.

Location: Kleine Weißgasse - 12.

[:ru] 50.007222 , 8.266389 (Church of Christ)
50.004722 , 8.27 (Church of St. Peter)
50.00385 , 8.26778
50.00566 , 8.26993 (Dativius Victor Arc)
50.00534 , 8.27055 (Column of Jupiter)
50.006667 , 8.270556 (Elector's Castle)
50.005278 , 8.271667 (German house)
50.005278, 8.271667 (Rhineland-Palatinate Parliament)
50.005, 8.271944 (New Arsenal)
50.007246, 8.271331 (Mainz waterfront gate)
50.002715, 8.273744 (Carmelite Monastery)
50.000833 , 8.272222
50.000833, 8.272222 (Old university building)
49.999081, 8.271433 (Theatre)
50.001853 , 8.272175
50.001042 , 8.275465 (Iron Tower)
50.000723, 8.275789 (Holy Spirit Hospital building)
49.998889, 8.274167 (Market Square)
49.998889 , 8.274167 (Cathedral)
49.999444 , 8.275556
49.998333 , 8.272222 (Church of St. John the Baptist)
49.997083 , 8.274711 (Augustinian Church)
49.997139 , 8.278028 (Wooden tower)
49.995833 , 8.278056 (Church of St. Ignatius)
49.993056 , 8.274167 (Citadel)
49.992125 , 8.274215 (
49.995556 , 8.268611 (St. Stephen's Church)
49.99837 , 8.26762
49.99837, 8.26762 (Maslenitsa fountain)
49.99837, 8.26762 (Ostein Mansion)
49.99837, 8.26762 (Mansion Bassenheim)
50.000236 , 8.268338 (St. Emmeram's Church)
49.999474, 8.265691 (Provisions store)
City fountain

A settlement on this site was established during the Roman conquests in the early 1st century. As often happens, it all started with a fortified camp, which over time turned into a fortress. In the 4th and 5th centuries, various Germanic tribes ruled here, and at the end of the 5th century the Franks came here for a long time.
From the 8th century, this settlement gradually became a center of religious activity, attracting believers, and in the 10th century, the bishops of Mainz began to crown German kings. Thanks to this fact, the city stood out from a series of others and began to develop rapidly in the 11th-15th centuries. Then came the period of medieval wars, which seriously weakened it.
During the 2nd World War the city was heavily destroyed.

Sights of Mainz

A large Lutheran church in the Catholic city appeared at the beginning of the 20th century.

Church of Christ in Mainz

The Catholic church was built in the 18th century on the remains of a 10th century monastery.

Organized in former stables at the beginning of the 19th century by Napoleon, who presented about 40 paintings to the museum.

These objects have been preserved since Roman times (2nd century).

Arch of Dativius Victor

Jupiter Column

This structure arose in the 17th and 18th centuries on the site of a 15th century fortress and became a refuge for the highest authority of the city - the bishops. During the time of Napoleon, the building began to be used for other purposes, it was a barracks, a military hospital, and was used for government needs. Now it is a museum.

German House (Deutschhaus)
18th century building for the needs of a bishop. At the beginning of the 19th century, Napoleon stayed here.

18 century.

Neues Zeughaus)
18 century.

Carmelite Monastery

14th century

16th century.

Theater (Mainz Staatstheater)

13th century

Iron Tower (Eisenturm)
The 13th century building was part of the fortress walls and served as the entrance to the city. In the 19th century it served as a prison.

Iron Tower in Mainz

The medical institution was founded in the 13th century and later rebuilt.
The temple dates back to the 11th century and has also been reconstructed.

St. Hospital building Spirit

Trade in this place flourished from the moment the settlement was founded, and it turned into an elegant square with a fountain in the 16th century.

This 13th-century building was one of the 3 imperial cathedrals in the Middle Ages, along with the temples in Worms and Speyer.

The building, unusual in 17th century architecture, was born according to the idea of a noble nobleman of those years for his personal needs. The building was later converted into a famous hotel.

Krnets 18th century.

Wooden tower (Holzturm)
The 15th century building was part of the city's defensive system and was later used as a prison.

Late 18th century.

Church of St. Ignatius in Mainz

Citadel
The stronghold appeared on this site in the 17th century; its predecessor was an ancient monastery of the 11th century. In the 1st world war prisoners of war were kept here.

This structure has remained here since the Roman conquest of German lands.

14th century

This urban space was a market in the Middle Ages. The 20th century fountain is created in the form of a tower of 200 bronze figures of medieval inhabitants of the city.

Maslenitsa fountain

Palace of a noble nobleman of the 18th century.

Palace of a noble nobleman from the mid-18th century. Now it is a state institution.

14th century

Provision store (Proviant-Magazin). City fountain
In the 18th century it was a warehouse for the Austrian army. Now there are residential apartments there.

Provision store

City fountain

[:en]In the middle of the 1st century BC. e. The left bank of the Rhine was conquered by the Romans during the Gallic War of Julius Caesar. In 13 BC, the Roman commander, stepson of Emperor Octavian Augustus, Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus founded a fortress here, which received the name “Mogontiacum” after the Celtic deity Mogon. In 368 the Alemanni devastated the city, and in 406 the Vandals, Suevi, Alans and Huns did the same. After the collapse of the Western Roman Empire at the end of the 5th century, the city was captured by the Frankish tribe. From 746–747, thanks to the work of Saint Boniface, Mainz became the ecclesiastical center of a vast area north of the Alps, from Grisons in modern Switzerland to the lower Elbe, and in 781 Mainz became an archbishopric. In 975, the archbishops of Mainz received the honorable duty of crowning German kings in Mainz.
Since 1244 to 1462 Mainz became free city“This was the period of greatest prosperity in its history. In 1254, he became the head of the Rhine League of Cities, which he founded. In 1461, the townspeople sided with the archbishop Dieter von Isenburg elected at the council, while the emperor and the pope placed their bets on his rival, Adolf II von Nassau. In 1462, Adolf II captured and sacked Mainz, killing about 400 inhabitants. Those who refused to follow Adolf II were expelled from the city or thrown into prison, and their property was divided among those who supported him. Adolf II abolished all privileges of Mainz citizens, canceled the city charter and placed it under his control.
During the Thirty Years' War of 1618–1648, the Mainz fortress was occupied without a fight by the Swedish army. During the war between France and the Augsburg League of European Powers in 1688–1697, on October 27, 1688, French troops occupied Mainz without a fight, but in the summer of 1689 the Mainz fortress was besieged by the army of the Austrian field marshal Duke of Lorraine Charles V Leopold and was forced to capitulate.
During the French Revolution on October 21, 1792, Mainz was occupied without a fight by the French troops of General Adam Philippe Custine, and the Archbishop of Mainz, Friedrich von Erthal, fled the city. After the founding of the German Empire in 1871, Mainz became an imperial fortress.
After World War I, in accordance with the Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 1919, the French occupied Mainz until 1930. Then it entered the Rhine demilitarized zone, and until 1935 it housed a French garrison representing the Entente. During World War II, more than 30 Allied air raids destroyed about 80% of the city center.

Sights of Mainz

Church of Christ (Christuskirche)
In Catholic Mainz in 1802 there were only about 200 Protestants. Napoleon Bonaparte granted them the right to worship and made them full citizens. Before this, Protestants, like Jews, were only “tolerated” in the city. By 1900, about a third of Mainz residents were Protestant. As the city expanded in the late 19th century, Protestants built a new church. She was designed as a counterweight Cathedral and its 80-meter dome, reminiscent of that of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, dominates the rest of the city's churches and buildings. The church building is designed in the Italian Renaissance style.

Church of Christ in Mainz

Church of St. Petra (Sankt Peter)
Catholic Church of St. Baroque Petra had the status of the church of the monastery of St. Peter, and today it is a parish church. The monastery was founded in 944 by Archbishop Frederick and erected north of the city wall. In those days, monasteries were important bodies of government on which the archbishop relied. During the Thirty Years' War in 1631, the monastery was destroyed and restored only a hundred years later. During the period of secularization (1802) the monastery was dissolved.
Church of St. Petra is a three-bay hall church built between 1749 and 1756. Two towers rise above the façade of the church. During the Napoleonic Wars, the church served as a stable, and in 1814 as a church for the Prussian troops, which it remained until 1918.

Municipal Museum (Landesmuseum)
The Municipal Museum was founded in 1803 on the initiative of Napoleon, who donated 36 paintings to the museum. Together with finds from the Roman Empire, they laid the foundation for the museum's collection. The museum occupies several buildings - the main entrance is in the baroque building of the former stables of the Elector, the Golden Stallion barracks, built between 1766 and 1770. The museum moved there in 1937.

Arch of Dativius Victor (Dativius-Victor-Bogen) and Column of Jupiter (Große Mainzer Jupitersäule)
The Arch of Dativius Victor dates from the mid-3rd century. It was part of the portico of one of the buildings of the Roman Mogontiacum. The original arch was found between 1898 and 1911 and is now in the Mainz Museum, and there is a copy of it in the square opposite the Roman-German Museum. The inscription on the arch has been completely preserved, stating that the sons of the decurion Dativius Victor erected this arch and portico according to the will of their father for the glory of the dynasty and the god Jupiter.
The height of the monument is 6.5 m, width – 4.5 m, and depth – 0.7 m. The shape of the arch of Dativius Victor is a triumphal arch. The arch consisted of approximately 75 elements, of which 43 have been found so far.
The Column of Jupiter was erected in honor of the Roman god Jupiter in the 2nd century AD. e. Judging by the inscription, the time of its construction occurred during the reign of Emperor Nero. Today, a copy of the Column of Jupiter can be seen in front of the German House, and the original is in the Mainz Museum. About 2,000 fragments of the column were discovered in 1905. The column rests on two square plinths and is composed of five drums, whose diameter tapers slightly towards the top. The column is engraved with images of 28 ancient Roman and Celtic deities. The column is crowned with a Corinthian type capital, on which a statue of Jupiter was once installed. The column is 9.14 meters high, and together with the statue of Jupiter - 12.5 meters. On the plinths you can see images of Jupiter, Fortune, Minerva, Mercury, Hercules.

Arch of Dativius Victor

Jupiter Column

Elector's Castle (Kurfürstliches Schloss)
The Elector's Castle served as the residence of the Mainz archbishops-electors. The castle stretches 75 meters along the banks of the Rhine and stands out among other buildings in the late Baroque style with its masterfully executed façade.
The first castle on this site was built in 1478 by Archbishop Dieter of Isenburg. The castle was surrounded by a fortress wall, a moat with water and fortified with crenellated towers. By the 16th century, the castle no longer corresponded to the idea of a worthy residence, and in 1627, Elector Georg von Greiffenklau began construction of a new castle. Construction was completed only in 1752.
The castle served as the residence of the Elector until 1797. With the collapse of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806, the castle was used as a barracks, infirmary, and customs office. Since 1842, the city library gradually moved into the building, Art Gallery, museum of antiquities and museum.

German House (Deutschhaus)
This Baroque palace was built between 1730 and 1737. The Archbishop of Mainz was also the Master of the Teutonic Order, which allowed him to claim additional residence. This is how the house got its name “German House”.
The palace consists of a main building and two pavilions. In 1793, the Rhine German National Convention met here. In 1798-1814 the building was used as a residence by Emperor Napoleon, and in 1816 the German House became the second residence of the Grand Duke of Hesse.

Neues Zeughaus)

Gate on the Mainz embankment Carmelite monastery

Gate on the Mainz embankment

Carmelite Monastery

Church of St. Quentin (Quintinskirche)
Church of St. Quentina is the oldest church in Mainz. The first mention of it dates back to 815. Construction of the Gothic church building began in 1288 and was completed by 1300. This is a square three-nave and three-bay hall church. The bell tower rises above the southwestern bay, which also served as the city tower until the 20th century. In the tower there is a guard's apartment, from which you can see the entire area of \u200b\u200bold Mainz. The apartment windows are decorated with green shutters. The red brickwork with painted seams has been preserved. On the tower of the church of St. Quentin today houses 4 bells and among them is the oldest bell of Mainz - Lumpenglockchen, cast in 1250.

Theater (Mainz Staatstheater)

Church of St. Christopher (Sankt Christoph)
The church was built in 1280 - 1330 in the early Gothic style. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the church was restored and acquired Baroque outlines. During the Second World War, the Church of St. Christopher was destroyed. After the war, the outer walls of the church were strengthened with a system of concrete buttresses. Today the church is one of the monuments to the victims of the war. The inscription on the board reads: “In memory of the dead, for the edification of the living.”

Iron Tower (Eisenturm)
The tower got its name from the metal market that was located nearby until the 19th century. The tower's gate arch, designed in Romanesque style, dates from the first half of the 13th century. On the Rhine side, the portal is decorated with two sandstone sculptures of lions. One of the lions holds a ram in its paws, symbolizing the power of the church, and the second holds a dragon, thereby symbolizing secular power. Both sculptures are typical of their time. In general, they are intended to symbolize the readiness for defense of the city authorities.
In the 15th century, several floors were added above the original Romanesque structure, and the tower took on a six-story appearance. By the 16th century, the gate under the tower had lost its original function - one could enter the city through a small gate in a building adjacent to the iron tower. Around the tower, many half-timbered buildings appeared, which were destroyed in 1945. Since the 18th century, the tower served as a military prison. In 1848-1849, Mainz revolutionaries were kept here. When the trials ended in the latter's favor, a jubilant crowd greeted the liberated prisoners of the Iron Tower.

Iron Tower in Mainz

St. Hospital building Spirit and Church of St. John the Baptist (Johanniskirche)
The hospital was built in 1236 and has two floors: the first for women, and the second for men. In 1462 a nursing home for women was organized here. The building is being rebuilt in the late Gothic style. After 1804 the building served various purposes: as a brewery, a dance club, and then a restaurant.

Evangelical Parish Church of St. John the Baptist– oldest church Mainz.
Around 900, under the patronage of Bishop Gato I, a cathedral church was built, and in 910 the church was consecrated. The cathedral was named after St. Martin, the patron saint of the city of Mainz. It was here that the coronation of Emperor Henry II took place in 1002. However, in 1036 the construction of a new cathedral was completed, and old temple received a new name - St. John the Baptist. During the Napoleonic Wars, the Johanniskirche, like many other churches, was used as a warehouse. In 1828, the building came under the jurisdiction of the evangelical community.

St. Hospital building Spirit

Church of St. John the Baptist

A fountain decorated with sculptures was installed on the Market Square in the middle of the 16th century. After the end of the Peasants' War, the defeated city was in desperate need of both psychological support and a source of fresh water. The fountain used to be an ordinary well, and the hourglass, scales of the goddess of Justice, skulls and other signs depicted on it hinted to the townspeople that nothing lasts forever, perhaps new order Same…

Cathedral (Mainzer Dom)
Mainz Cathedral, together with the cathedrals of Worms and Speyer, is one of the three imperial cathedrals of the Holy Roman Empire. This is a three-nave Romanesque basilica.
Around the year 1000, Archbishop Willigiz laid the first stone of the cathedral, which was to be built in the image of the Church of St. Peter's in Rome. But the cathedral was destroyed in a fire on the day of its consecration (1009), and only in 1036 was it restored. The most significant changes in the appearance of the cathedral were made during the reign of Henry IV and were caused by the fire of 1081, during which the cathedral was seriously damaged. On July 4, 1239, the cathedral was consecrated by Archbishop Siegfried III.
In the 19th century, the cathedral was severely damaged during the shelling of the city by Prussian troops. During the period of the Mainz Republic, the cathedral served as a military camp, and during the Napoleonic wars as an infirmary and pigsty. Only in 1814 it was again used for its intended purpose.

House of the Roman Emperor (Haus zum Römischen Kaiser)
The “House of the Roman Emperor” or the Marienberg House was built in the Renaissance style. It was the first large building erected after the end of the Thirty Years' War (1618 - 1648); for the local aristocracy it became a model for monumental construction in Mainz and the surrounding area.
The mansion was erected for a major merchant and treasurer, Edmund Rokoch. In 1653, the western part of the building with a luxurious building was first rebuilt, and in 1657 exactly the same East End. Both parts of the building were connected by a middle span. Since 1742, the building functioned as a hotel under the name “House of the Roman Emperor”. Here, in different time Mozart, Voltaire and Goethe stayed. The armored figure above the entrance to the building is an effigy of Emperor Charles VI.

Augustinian Church (Augustinerkirche)
The Augustinian Church is the former church of the hermit monks of the Augustinian Order, and today is the church of the theological seminary of the Catholic Diocese of Mainz.
The church was erected between 1768 and 1771 on the site of an older religious building. The Brotherhood of the Augustinian Order existed in Mainz from 1260 to 1803, when it was abolished. After the liquidation of the monastery, the buildings belonging to it were given to the theological seminary. The church was built in Baroque style. From the street only the façade of the church is visible. Installed above the portal sculptural group, depicting the Virgin Mary, to the right and left of the Mother of God are St. Augustine, as well as his mother, Saint Monica.

Wooden tower (Holzturm)
The wooden tower represents a city tower in its appearance at the beginning of the 15th century, and took its name from a lumber yard located on the banks of the Rhine. In the Middle Ages, the Wooden Tower, together with the Iron Tower and the Alexander Tower, was part of the fortifications of Mainz.
The six-story Holzturm tower has rubble masonry separated by ashlar. The tower ends with a steep hip roof and has slender proportions.
In the Middle Ages, there was a gate in the tower, as can be judged by the pointed arch. The hip roof is decorated with four turrets with pointed spiers. Rectangular windows are framed with lancet external frames.
Like other city fortification towers, Holzturm was used as a prison. The most famous inmate of Holzturm Prison was the robber Johann Bückler, known throughout Germany as Schinderhannes (“Hans the Flayer”). From there, after 15 months of imprisonment, he was taken to the place of execution to the guillotine.

Wooden tower in the city of Mainz

Church of St. Ignatius (Sankt Ignaz)
The church was erected between 1763 and 1775 and named after Saint Ignatius the God-Bearer, the third Bishop of Antioch, who died in 107 AD.
This hall church was built on the foundation ancient building late 13th century. The church is made in the neoclassical style with baroque elements. Between the strict lines you can see lush stucco and cupids. The red sandstone façade is modeled after the Parisian Church of Saints Gervasius and Protasius.

Church of St. Ignatius in Mainz

Citadel
The citadel is located on the Jacobsberg hill, on which a Benedictine monastery has been located since 1050. The hill did not fall within the ring of city fortifications and was surrounded only by a small wall. The monastery was a gap in the system of city defenses and could be used both for shelling the city and for attacking Mainz. In this regard, in 1620-1629, the construction of the Schweikhardsburg fortress began. The pentagonal structure was named after the Elector of Mainz, Schweickhard of Kronberg. Already in 1655, the next elector ordered to surround Mainz with a wall according to the French model. During the work, Schweikhardsburg was rebuilt into a quadrangular citadel, as we see it today. The main gate of the citadel was decorated in 1660.
The monastery stood until 1793, when it was destroyed during the siege of Mainz. Single buildings have since been used for military purposes. During the First World War, the citadel housed a prisoner of war camp. With the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919, the history of the citadel ended.

Tombstone of Drusus (Drususstein)
Drusus' tombstone is located on the Jacobsberg hill near the Roman Theater. This 20 m high circular structure is the largest of the tomb monuments from the Roman Empire. The stone is considered to be a cenotaph erected to the Roman commander Drusus, who died in 9 BC during a campaign through the German lands located along the right bank of the Rhine. Drusus was the stepson of Emperor Augustus. In 13 BC, he set up camp at the mouth of the Main River to make a campaign from there. The Roman chronicler Dio Cassius describes this conqueror as “a youth possessed of all the benefactors that the mortal body of man can contain.”

Church of St. Stefan (Pfarrkirche Sankt Stephan)
The first wooden church was erected on the highest hill of the city back in 990 by Archbishop Willigiz. Archbishop Bardo ordered to demolish the wooden church and put a stone one in its place, which was done in 1043. In the period from 1267 to 1340, the building was completed, and as a result, the oldest Gothic hall church of the Middle Rhine appeared. In 1857, a nearby powder tower exploded, as a result of which the church's decoration was lost. The church was also heavily damaged during World War II. Today, St Stephen's Church is a three-nave Gothic hall church with two choirs at the western and eastern ends and an octagonal tower over the western choir.
Its founder, Archbishop Willigiz, was buried in the church in 1011. Unfortunately, it is not possible to find the exact burial place today.

Schillerplatz and Maslenitsa Fountain (Fastnachtsbrunnen)
Schiller Square was central to the Roman fortified camp and later to the city of Mogontiacum, and has been used as a market square since the Middle Ages. This was the only area that did not flood during the flood of the Main and Rhine. The square received its current name in 1862 after the installation of a monument to the great poet on the square.
The Maslenitsa (carnival) fountain was installed on January 14, 1967 and is a nine-meter high bronze structure in the form of a tower. The tower consists of 200 bronze figures. Here you can see a monk, a jester, a harlequin, a cat, Till Eulenspiegel, vagants, a bureaucrat, a buffoon, a magician and others. You can also find images of German beliefs and rituals, such as the traditional purse washing - a humorous ritual on Ash Wednesday: washing empty purses in the water of the fountains, after the turbulent weeks of carnival. With this ritual, the owners of the wallets want to show that they spent every last penny at the carnival.

Maslenitsa fountain

Osteiner Hof
The mansion was built between 1747 and 1752 as the family residence of the district head von Osstein. The building's Rococo façade stands out against the backdrop of the surrounding Baroque palaces. The building, consisting of three wings, is distinguished by risalits in the center of the facade and on the sides of the building. The central one forms a vault above the main entrance, and is also a continuation of the oval main hall on the second floor. The central risalit is decorated with cupids and a coat of arms, above which rises a crown. The four sectors of the coat of arms depict greyhounds from the coat of arms of the Ostein family and two wheels from the coat of arms of the city of Mainz. The cartouches above the window bays symbolize earth, air and water, and above the balcony doors they depict Diana and Mars. On both sides of the entrance, the walls are decorated with bas-reliefs depicting musical instruments. From the balcony of the building on August 1, 1914, the beginning of the First World War and mobilization was announced. The building burned down during World War II, but was restored by 1948. Today, the garrison commandant's office of the Bundeswehr is based there.

Mansion Bassenheimer Hof
The mansion building was erected in 1750 for the Elector's sister, Countess von Bassenheim. The house is distinguished by the French Baroque style. The interior decoration was not preserved as the building was rebuilt. Since 1960, the Ministry of the Interior of Rhineland-Palatinate has been seated here.

Church of St. Emmerama (Sankt Emmeran)
The church was built in the 8th century. The patron saint of the church is St. Emmeram, Bishop of Regensburg, who is rarely venerated anywhere outside Bavaria. The main tower of the church, dating from the 12th century, has been preserved from Romanesque times. This is a five-tier structure, divided by wide corner and narrower middle blades. The tower is divided horizontally by cornices. The first two floors of the tower were equipped with narrow loopholes, and starting from the third floor, two Romanesque biforia were cut into each side of the tower.
Since 1300, the Romanesque church was replaced by a Gothic structure (the Romanesque tower has been preserved). The church turned into a three-nave basilica. Influenced by the style of the Dominican Order, the church was decorated modestly.

Church of St. Emmerama in Mainz

Proviant-Magazin City Fountain
Provision store — food warehouse of the Austrian army. Now there are residential apartments and the Maslenitsa Museum.

Provision store

City fountain

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Carmelite monastery located in German city Mainz was founded in 1270 by monks of the Catholic Carmelite order and is still active. Over the centuries, the building, built in the Gothic style from white brick, was subjected to various destructions, but the monks carefully restored it.

Now tourists can see a three-story residential building and a church built in 1350 with a characteristic pointed tower, strict lines and high arched windows. During World War II, the monastery was seriously damaged by bombing, but was restored again. In the church of the Carmelite monastery you can see ancient bas-reliefs and paintings from the 14th century, an altar consecrated in 1517 and many other medieval religious decorations.

Gutenberg Museum

The Gutenberg Museum is named after Johannes Gutenberg, who invented movable type printing, a printing method that spread throughout the world. The museum opened in 1900, 500 years after the death of Johannes Gutenberg.

The main exhibition of the museum is dedicated to the development of printing in Europe and the world; various devices that were used for book printing at different times are presented. The museum also has many books that were printed at different times.

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Museum of Ancient Navigation

The Museum of Ancient Navigation, located in the German city of Mainz, was opened in 1994 in an old red brick building, consisting of two buildings - a three-story and a two-story, connected by a low gallery. The museum's rich exhibitions introduce visitors to the history of ancient navigation; among the exhibits you can see parts of several Roman ships of the 3rd - 4th centuries, which were discovered in the 1980s during the construction of the Hilton Hotel.

During the recent renovation, a huge glass roof was installed on the building, providing natural light to valuable exhibits. In special rooms of the museum you can watch the work of restorers. Individual models of copies of Roman ships can be seen in one of the halls and even touched with your hands. Recently, the museum installed a large-scale installation 48 meters long, which contains objects dedicated to the history of the development of shipbuilding and navigation in antiquity. The museum has a playground for children, with warships and antiques, allowing children to feel like conquerors of the seas and oceans.

The State Museum of History and Art of the City of Mainz begins its history in 1803 in a former stable building, where the first exhibits were housed.

in 1937, when the museum's collection grew significantly, the museum was forced to move to a new building, where it operates to this day. Currently, the museum's collection includes objects dating back to prehistoric times. The entire collection of the museum is divided into Roman, Middle Eastern, and medieval departments; the museum also has exhibitions dedicated to the Renaissance, Baroque, graphics, and Judaica.

Theodor Heuss Bridge

The Theodor Heuss Bridge, 475 meters long, connects two German cities - Mainz and Wiesbaden. It was built in 1882-1885 on the site of a ferry preserved from Roman times, designed by architects Friedrich von Thiersch and Bernhard Bilfinger. The bridge design is arched. The four pillars, made of sandstone, are located in the bed of the Rhine River, and the widest of the five spans is more than 102 meters long. In the 1930s, the then Rhine Bridge was reconstructed and expanded from 13.8 meters to 18.8 meters.

During World War II, the bridge was blown up by the retreating Germans. After the war it was restored and named after German President Theodor Heuss. In the 1990s, the bridge was reconstructed again, and it was opened for pedestrian traffic in the summer of 1995. Now wide bridge, illuminated in dark time days with lanterns located on both sides, it is considered a favorite place for walking local residents and guests of the cities of Mainz and Wiesbaden.

Schiller Square in Mainz

Schiller Square, located in the German city of Mainz, is a triangle with Baroque buildings located along the perimeter. The most notable buildings on the square are houses from the 18th – 19th centuries with ancient gardens, the Osteiner Hof palace and the Carnival fountain with two hundred figures of carnival participants, which was installed here in 1967 as a symbol of the annual November holiday.

In the Middle Ages, shopping arcades were located on the site of the square, and starting from the 13th century, monasteries were built around, among which the oldest surviving one is the Abtei Altmunster Abbey. The square received its current name in 1862, after the installation of a monument to the famous writer Friedrich Schiller in its center. The square is a favorite place for walking and relaxing, as it not only has a lot of greenery, flowers and benches, but also a pedestrian area with shops and cafes.

Children's amusement park "Tobolino"

The Tobolino children's amusement park, located in the German city of Mainz, is considered one of the largest indoor parks in the Rhineland-Palatinate region. The park program offers a variety of entertainment for children of all ages: from toddlers to teenagers. For kids there is a separate area with a dry pool, low slides and all kinds of manholes and labyrinths.

Daredevils can jump on high trampolines or slide down the slide, which is called “Volcano Climb”. In the football arena you can play football, volleyball or basketball. Particularly proud children's park entertainment "Tobolino" is real beach with sand, chests filled with treasures and a pirate ship that anyone can board to feel like a real conqueror of the seas and oceans.

Botanical Garden of Johannes Gutenberg University

The Johannes Gutenberg University Botanical Garden, located on the university grounds in the German city of Mainz, was founded in 1946-1955. On the area of the former military training ground measuring more than 10 hectares, greenhouses were built, a large garden was laid out and an arboretum was created, which occupies about 30,000 square meters of the garden.

Today, more than 8,500 different flowers, shrubs and trees grow in the Botanical Garden of Johannes Gutenberg University. The garden, divided by well-kept alleys that bear the names of great scientists, consists of a large greenhouse complex built for tropical and subtropical plants, a systematic garden, an alpine hill and an arboretum. There are benches throughout the garden for comfortable rest. Also at the base Botanical Garden Rotating exhibitions dedicated to nature and ecology are held.

The most popular attractions in Mainz with descriptions and photographs for every taste. Choose best places to visit famous places in Mainz on our website.

More attractions of Mainz

In 1963, the city council decided to install a fountain, symbolizing the carnival that has been held in the city for years during Maslenitsa. On the one hand, the composition was supposed to decorate the city, on the other hand, it was supposed to reflect the cheerfulness and love for the holiday of the Mainz residents. A competition was held, as a result of which Professor B. Spreng and architect H. Gref became the authors of the fountain. On January 14, 1967 there was a grand opening of the composition. From the middle of the red sandstone pool, a bronze tower (9 m) rises up, on which there are more than 200 fantastic figures: Till Eulenspiegel, the goddess of the city of Mogontia, Father Rhine, a monk and a man, a cat, etc.
From railway station 10 min. to Schillerplatz

Mainz Regional Gate (Das Gautor)

The gate was installed in the 17th century as part of a defensive fortification. The name of the gate indicates that this gate used to connect the city and its region. They are made of red sandstone and decorated in Baroque style. On the external façade a sculptural composition has been preserved: St. Martin on horseback and two beggars begging. Previously, in the middle of the gate, under the sculptures, there was the coat of arms of the Elector of Mainz. In 2002, the original gate was moved to the city's land museum; today visitors to the city can admire a copy.
From the train station 15 min. on foot.

Market fountain (Der Marktbrunnen)

In 1526, the Archbishop of Mainz and Cardinal Albrecht von Brandenburg installed in the city center, opposite the Cathedral of St. Martin, a drinking water fountain for city residents. Today the sculptural composition is the oldest and most beautiful Renaissance fountain in Germany. In 1524, imperial troops suppressed a rebellion of peasants demanding social justice and freedoms. These events are also reflected in the inscriptions and images decorating the fountain. The composition is also a symbol of princely grandeur and vanity, as evidenced by the rich decorations with the coats of arms of the electors.

Mainz Cathedral (Mainzer Dom) The city of Mainz is the capital of the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. This city is quite small for Germany, with a population of about 190 thousand people. There are many attractions left over from the Romans, who ruled these lands for a long time. Mainz is an important railway junction southern Germany, it can also be reached from Frankfurt Airport, located 30 […]

The city is the capital of the German state Ryland-Palatinate. This city is quite small for Germany, with a population of about 190 thousand people. There are many attractions left over from the Romans, who ruled these lands for a long time.

Mainz is an important railway hub in southern Germany and can also be reached from Frankfurt Airport, 30 km away. The city has a developed road system, and you can also rent a bicycle here.

Mainz has a maritime climate, the hottest months are July and August, when the air warms up to +23 C, and the coldest months are December and January, when the temperature drops below zero.

IN Old town There are many antique shops, souvenir shops, restaurants, bars and bistros. There is a market in the market square every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. Mainz is also home to a large shopping mallAm Brand, of interest to shoppers, several large department stores and many retail outlets.

Among the city's attractions, the main interest is , which was built at the end of the 10th century in the Romanesque style and combines Baroque and Gothic elements, as well as Church of St.. Stefan ( Stephanskirche), whose blue stained glass windows were made by Marc Chagall.

Mainz is connected to the federal states of Hesse and Wiesbaden Theodor Heuss Rhine bridge, which, like many other bridges over the Rhine, was destroyed during the war and later rebuilt, and is now one of the main tourist attractions in Mainz.

It will also be interesting to visit the building Town Halls 1970s, which was designed by craftsmen from Denmark who used tons of Swedish marble to construct the facade.

Mainz central square – Schillerplatz, surrounded by fountains, is a favorite place for pleasant evening walks. In addition, tourists love to stroll along the Rhine embankment, breathing sea air, admiring seagulls, ducks and a variety of by water transport. IN holidays All kinds of attractions and carousels are installed on the embankment.

Mainz is the birthplace of the famous inventor of European printing Johannes Gutenberg, therefore, his museum is located in this city, which displays a reconstructed printing house and handmade Gutenberg press.

The city is also home to a unique display of 5th-century Roman warships discovered during the construction of the Hilton Hotel.

Every year Mainz hosts a carnival, which includes many parties, parades, costume shows and other entertainment. The culmination of the carnival season is the night festival Johannisnacht, which is held in the summer.

At Christmas, a Christmas market is traditionally organized in Mainz, which welcomes buyers during the month before the holiday on weekdays.

At the end of summer and beginning of autumn, the city annually hosts wine festival.

Mainz Germany

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