Mainz - Nightsky’s trip to central Germany

[Nightsky]

Mainz is a twin city to Wiesbaden, that is located on the opposite side of the famous River Rhein and is only 30 minutes by train from Frankfurt. It is the capital of the federal state Rhineland-Palatine. River Main is connected to Rhein in Mainz. Mainz is over 200 years old and the first European books printed using movable type were manufactured in Mainz by Gutenberg in the early 1450s. Mainz is also famous for its large cathedral. The Old Town has many nice historic buildings in different styles, but unfortunately some ugly grey 60s modernist buildings have been built on too many places since not all historic buildings have been rebuilt after the bombings during WWII. The heart of Altstadt is very cozy with its square, cathedral and alleys though. The city center is partly hilly. Mainz is also home of the Gutenberg University.

I was visiting Mainz as part of my Frankfurt visit. Before visiting Mainz, I had walked through Wiesbaden, so I was very tired when visiting the hilly streets of Mainz. The weather was sunny and pretty warm for being in April. I went back to Frankfurt in the evening.


Marktplatz, or Domplatz, is the square in the heart of historical Mainz where the Dom (cathedral) and Gutenberg museum is located. It has an impressive collection of beautifully decorated buildings and sculptures.

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Mainz Cathedral of St Martin, or simply the Dom, is the heart of historical Mainz and the city's foremost landmark. This 1000 year old church was built predomantly in Romanesque style.

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Marktplatz is the square where the Dom is located. It has many beautiful historical buildings.

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Mainz Cathedral of St Martin from the square Marktplatz. It is a Roman Catholic cathedral.

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Gutenbergplatz, next to Marktplatz. To the left is the Gutenberg Museum.

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Gutenberg Museum. The first European books printed using movable type were manufactured in Mainz by Johann Gutenberg in the early 1450s.

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Ludwigsstrasse seen from Marktplatz.

More photos and text from my visit to Mainz:
http://www.worldtravelimages.net/Mainz.html

[SHiRO]

Nice pics!

[Nightsky]

Thanks! More will come soon.

[geoff189d]

Very interesting pics of Mainz and those of Darmstadt too.

[Nightsky]

Thanks!

MAINZ ALTSTADT - THE OLD TOWN

The Old Town has many nice historic buildings in different styles, but unfortunately some ugly grey 60s modernist buildings have been built on too many
places. The heart of Altstadt is very cozy with its square, cathedral and alleys though. The city center is partly hilly.

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The Schiller statue at Schillerplatz. Friedrich Schiller was a German poet, philosofer, historican and playwright in the 18th-19th centuries, friend with Goethe.

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Ostheimer Hof at Schillerplatz, a very nice place to sit and relax.

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The Fastnachtsbrunnen (Carneval Fountain) at Schillerplatz was built in 1967 by Blasius Spreng. It is 8.5m high and is made of bronze. It has about 200 symbols of
grotesque fantasy figures of the Mainz Fastnacht.

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Bassenheimer Hof seen from Schillerplatz.

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Ludwigsstrasse, that leads to the cathedral from Schillerplatz, has too many grey modernist buildings.

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The curvy Gaustrasse.

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Church of St-Stephan is a gothic hall collegiate church. The current church dates back to 1340.

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Holzhof at Weissliliengasse. Some kind of palace with a garden.

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St Ignaz, a baroque church.

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Holzturm (wood tower), a tower at the former wood market from the 14th century.

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Augustinerstrasse, the beautiful main street of Altstadt, the Old Town.

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Augustinerkirche (St Augustine's Church) is a splendid rococo church, unfortunately closed when I was there. It is located on the narrow Augustinerstrasse. The current
church was completed in 1772.

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Kirschgarten. Nice half-timbered houses at the northern end of Augustinerstrasse.

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Kirschgarten, "cherry street", is a small alley that probably got its name from the cherry trees.

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Towards the Dom.

[Crawford]

Great pics of the Altstadt.

I have always liked Mainz. My dad attended the University of Mainz.

[AJphx]

great looking city, haven't seen it much, but I love the streets. The old town is my favorite "german style"

[LSyd]

coolness. i like the mini-dom. with the printing press history, is anything there a UNESCO site?

-

[Nightsky]

No, I couldn't find Mainz on Germany's UNESCO list.

[Nightsky]

AROUND THE STATION AND KAISERSTRASSE

This part is about the around from the railway station at Alicienplatz/Bahnhofplatz to Kaiserstrasse, the boulevard that leads to the renaissance Christ
Church, and Schillerstrasse, that leads to Schillerplatz and the Old Town.

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Hauptbahnhof, the Main Railway Station, where I arrived is located in the west edge of the city center.

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Alicenplatz (Bahnhofplatz) in front of the station with the twin Bonifazius Turm A+B (95m, 24 floors), the city's tallest buildings.

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Bassenheimer Hof.

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Towards Christuskirche.

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Christuskirche is located on the northeast end of the relaxed bouelavard Kaiserstrasse with a park in the middle. It is located a bit off the touristy quarters, so it feels
like a hidden gem. Christuskirche (Christ Church), probably Mainz's most underrated sight, was built 1898–1903, bombed during WWII in 1945 and rebuilt in 1948–1954.

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Kaiserstrasse towards Christkirche.

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Bonifazius Turm A+B (95m, 24 floors), the city's tallest buildings. They were built in 1978.

[Nightsky]

This is it! I will soon post the twin city Wiesbaden.