Mainz

The city of Mainz

Welcome to Mainz

Mainz is a city of many identities: a Roman stronghold, a cultural capital, a media hub, and the proud seat of the Rhineland-Palatinate. Known for its vibrant carnival traditions, rich Roman heritage, and dynamic academic and scientific communities, Mainz has more to offer than first meets the eye.

Situated along the banks of the Rhine, the city marks the gateway to the romantic Middle Rhine Valley, a UNESCO-listed landscape of terraced vineyards and fairy-tale castles. Mainz boasts a continuous history stretching back over 2,000 years. Founded by the Roman general Drusus, perhaps as early as 13/12 BC, the Roman settlement of Mogontiacum served as a key military base. Its legacy endures in archaeological treasures still visible today:

  • The largest Roman theatre north of the Alps
  • A preserved aqueduct
  • The Sanctuary of Isis and Magna Mater, hidden beneath a modern shopping arcade
  • And five restored Roman warships, discovered near the Rhine in 1980 and now displayed at LEIZA’s Museum of Ancient Seafaring
Reconstruction of a Roman warship (Navis lusoria) in the Museum of Ancient Seafaring at the Leibniz-Zentrum für Archäologie, Mainz © LEIZA / Volker Iserhardt, René Müller
Mainz Cathedral © Lothar Spurzem

The old town of Mainz offers its own allure, with cobbled streets, traditional shops, lively wine taverns, and a character that’s unmistakably its own.

Dominating the skyline is the majestic Mainz Cathedral, a thousand-year-old landmark that blends Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque styles. It has witnessed centuries of coronations, burials, and historical milestones. Elsewhere, the cityscape is dotted with churches, including the stunning Collegiate Church of St. Stephan, famous for its luminous blue stained-glass windows designed by Marc Chagall.

A cornerstone of Mainz’s cultural legacy lies in the world of books. It was here that Johannes Gutenberg—hailed as the ‘Man of the Millennium’—invented movable type printing, over 550 years ago, igniting a communications revolution that reshaped the world. Today, the Gutenberg Museum stands as a tribute to his enduring impact, housing among its treasures two original Gutenberg Bibles—the earliest printed books in existence.

View to the main altar with blue stained glass windows in the background inside the church St. Stephan in Mainz
View to the main altar with blue stained glass windows in the background inside the church St. Stephan in Mainz © Flocci Nivis, Wikimedia Commons
Mainz, Statue of Gutenberg; the cathedral in the background
Mainz, Statue of Gutenberg by Bertel Thorvaldsen , casted by Crozatier in 1837; the cathedral in the background © I. Staudacher, Wikimedia Commons

Beyond its past, Mainz is a centre for innovation. Home to Johannes Gutenberg University and the Mainz University of Applied Sciences, it fosters academic life across disciplines. Research extends into the private sector, with international players like BioNTech SE—developers of the COVID-19 vaccine—and Schott AG, specialists in advanced glass technologies and ceramics.

And then, of course, there’s carnival: Mainz’s beloved season of satire, parades, and spirited celebration, woven deeply into the city’s cultural fabric.

With its high quality of life, deep roots in wine culture, and warm, cosmopolitan spirit, Mainz welcomes you with open arms—a city of stories, scholarship, and timeless charm.

The old town centre of Mainz
The old town centre of Mainz © unsplash / Michael Behrens

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