Mainz

The capital of Rhineland-Palatinate, with around 218,000 inhabitants, is the independent city of Mainz on the Rhine. It was founded in Roman times.

View of Theodor-Heuss-Brücke and Mainz at night

Mainz

In the early Middle Ages, the Christian missionary Bonifatius worked here, Mainz became an archbishopric and around the year 1000 the Mainz Cathedral was built.

Around 1450 Johannes Gutenberg from Mainz invented book printing with movable metal type, which revolutionized book production and triggered a so-called media revolution in Europe. You can find out more about this in the Gutenberg Museum.

ZDF has had its headquarters in Mainz since 1976 and SWR followed here.

The city along the Rhine is important for inland shipping and is primarily a stop for numerous boat tours. The Rhine promenade attracts visitors for many reasons.

The area (Rheinhessen) is known for the grape harvest and Mainz itself even more for the Carnival. The city is considered to be one of the strongholds of the annual carnival.

Other special sights in Mainz are the old town (Altstadt), the Electoral Palace (Kürfürstliche Schloss), the Roman-Germanic Central Museum and the Christ Church.

The “Meenzer Fassenacht”, the wine market in late summer and St. John's Night in June are special celebrations.