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Introducing Mainz
Mainz, the capital of Rhineland-Palatinate, is a lively locale thanks to its sizable university, a large media presence and a certain savoir-vivre whose origins go back to Napoleon’s occupation (1798–1814). Strolling along the Rhine and sampling local wines in a half-timbered Altstadt (old town) tavern are as much a part of any Mainz visit as viewing the fabulous Dom, Chagall’s ethereal windows in the St-Stephan-Kirche (St Stephen’s Church) or the first printed Bibles in the Gutenberg Museum.
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The Romans were the first to take advantage of Mainz’ strategic location at the confluence of the Main and Rhine Rivers. In 12 BC, under Emperor Augustus, they founded a military camp called Moguntiacum as a base for the invasion of Germania. After the Romans, Mainz took a 250-year nap before being awoken by English missionary St Boniface, who established an archbishopric here in AD 746. In the 15th century, native son Johannes Gutenberg ushered in the information age by perfecting moveable type.
Last updated: Jun 2, 2009
