Mainz

The Marktbrunnen in Mainz is a renaissance fountain located at the ″Markt″ (market place) of Mainz. It was donated by elector Albert of Mainz and crafted in the workshop of the Mainz sculptor Hans Backoffen. The Marktbrunnen represents one of the first architectural formed decorated fountains of the renaissance.

Mainz Cathedral or St. Martin's Cathedral (German: Mainzer Dom, Martinsdom or, officially, Der Hohe Dom zu Mainz) is located near the historical center and pedestrianized market square of the city of Mainz, Germany. This 1000-year-old Roman Catholic cathedral is the site of the episcopal see of the Bishop of Mainz. Mainz Cathedral is predominantly Romanesque in style, but later exterior additions over many centuries have resulted in the appearance of various architectural influences seen today. It comprises three aisles and stands under the patronage of Saint Martin of Tours. The eastern quire is dedicated to Saint Stephen. The interior of the cathedral houses tombs and funerary monuments of former powerful Electoral-prince-archbishops, or Kurfürst-Erzbischöfe, of the diocese and contains religious works of art spanning a millennium. The cathedral also has a central courtyard and statues of Saint Boniface and The Madonna on its grounds. During the time of Mainz Archbishop Willigis (975–1011), the city of Mainz flourished economically, and Willigis became one of the most influential politicians of that time, ascending to regent of the empire between 991 and 994. In 975–976 shortly after his installation he ordered the construction of a new cathedral in the pre-Romanesque Ottonian architecture style. This new and impressive building was part of his vision of Mainz as the "second Rome".This new cathedral was to take over the functions of two churches: the old cathedral and St. Alban's, which was the largest church in the area, belonging to a Benedictine abbey and serving as the burial ground for the bishops and other nobles, including Fastrada, a spouse of Charlemagne. Most of the synods and other important meetings were held at St. Alban's Abbey. The new cathedral consisted of a double chancel with two transepts. The main hall was built in the typical triple-nave "cross" pattern. As was usual at that time no vault was included because of structural difficulties relating to the size of the building. Six towers rose from the church. A cloister was enclosed in the structure and a small freestanding church, St. Mary's Church, connected by a colonnade. This small church developed later into the collegiate church of St. Maria ad Gradus. Sandstone was used as the primary building material for the cathedral. The inside was plastered white under the Archbishop Bardo, probably in the middle of the 11th century. During renovations ordered by Henry IV in the late 11th century, much of the outside was also plastered, but the cornices were left exposed in their original red and yellow. It is believed that the coloring of the cathedral was changed on a number of occasions, but no further documentation of the coloring is available until records of the Baroque works. The cathedral suffered extensive damage from a fire on the day of its inauguration in 1009. Archbishop Bardo (Bardo of Oppershofen) presided over the completion of the cathedral begun under Willigis. By 1037 the main portions of the body of Mainz Cathedral were complete. Willigis was buried in the second church he had initiated, St. Stephan's, in 1011.

The Humbrechthof, also known as Hof zum Humbrecht, was the building in which Johannes Gutenberg developed his technique of printing with movable metal type and set up his first printing press. It was located in the old town of Mainz. Today, the houses at Schusterstraße 22 and 24 are located on the site.

The choir Mainzer Domchor is the choir at Mainz Cathedral, of boys' and men's voices. It was founded in 1866 by the then bishop of Mainz, Wilhelm Emmanuel von Ketteler.

The Liebfrauenplatz in Mainz is the easternmost of the four squares around Mainz Cathedral. It originally housed the Liebfrauenkirche (church of our Lady), which was demolished at the beginning of the 19th century and whose outline can still be seen today on the square, and marks the transition between the cathedral and the Rhine in the direction of the Fischtor, one of the eastward city gates.

The Gutenberg Museum is one of the oldest museums of printing in the world, located opposite the cathedral in the old part of Mainz, Germany. It is named after Johannes Gutenberg, the inventor of printing from movable metal type in Western Europe. The collections include printing equipment and examples of printed materials from many cultures.

St. John's Church (in German Johanniskirche) is located beneath Mainz Cathedral in the historical center of Mainz, Germany. This 1100-year-old church was the first episcopal see of the Bishop of Mainz. It is the oldest church in Mainz, the oldest cathedral in the Germany of today and the only preserved cathedral building from late Carolingian and early Ottonian time in Germany.St. John's Church is predominantly Carolingian in style, but later exterior additions over many centuries have resulted in the appearance of various architectural influences seen today. It comprises three naves and stands under the patronage of John the Baptist today. It can be assumed that the church was dedicated initially to Martin of Tours since Martin is the Patron saint of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Mainz, then to St. Salvator, consecrated in 911 by Archbishop Hatto I and served as the cathedral for the Bishop of Mainz until the appointment of Willigis as Archbishop of Mainz in 975. It is documented that archbishop Erkanbald was buried in this first cathedral. In 2019, a sarcophagus was opened to gain more information on the early history of the diocese of Mainz. Whether it concerns the remains of cleric Erkanbald, buried in 1021, is investigated since then said research director Guido Faccani.

The Catholic church of St. Quintin is the parish church of the oldest proven parish in the city of Mainz. Today, St. Quintin together with the cathedral community of St. Martin forms the parish of St. Martin's Cathedral and St. Quintin. Thus the cathedral priest is therefore always the priest of St. Quintin as well.

The Gutenbergplatz is an important square in the German city of Mainz, in terms of building culture and urban development. It was named after Johannes Gutenberg, who was born in Mainz. Gutenbergplatz is the largest and most important square in the city centre of Mainz. Due to its social and urban history, the square has been designated a monument zone.

The Staatstheater Mainz (Mainz State Theatre) is a theatre in Mainz, Germany, which is owned and operated by the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. Situated on the Gutenbergplatz, the complex comprises two theatres which are connected by an underground passage and also by skywalk. Performances of opera, drama and ballet are presented. Its name was Stadttheater Mainz (municipal theatre) until 1989. The main building was constructed between 1829 and 1833 by Georg Moller in Neoclassical style. The construction had been requested by the bourgeoisie of the city of Mainz for decades and cost 280,000 guilders (the city's budget amounted to 300,000 guilders at that time). The theatre's great hall (Großes Haus) was destroyed by bombing during World War II. Friedrich Meyer-Oertel became director of the theatre in 1968. The small hall (Kleines Haus) was built in 1997. Remedial work from 1976 to 1977 aimed at restoring Moller's rotunda were undertaken by Dieter Oesterlen. Between 1998 and 2001, extensive renovations were carried out to restore it to its original condition and it now seats 1,000. The resident orchestra is the Philharmonisches Staatsorchester Mainz (Philharmonic State Orchestra Mainz).

The Iron Tower (German: Eisenturm) is a mediaeval tower dating to the early 13th century, and modified in the 15th century, which with the Wood Tower and the Alexander Tower is one of three remaining towers from the city walls of Mainz, Germany. Its name derives from the Iron Market (Eisenmarkt), which was held in the immediate vicinity until the 19th century. The Iron Tower served as a watchtower and gate to the city, and later as a gaol. It was badly damaged in World War II and reconstructed in the 1960s. Today it houses various organizations and art projects and is used for art exhibitions.

In the siege of Mainz (German: Belagerung von Mainz), from 14 April to 23 July 1793, a coalition of Prussia, Austria, and other German states led by the Holy Roman Empire besieged and captured Mainz from revolutionary French forces. The allies, especially the Prussians, first tried negotiations, but this failed, and the bombardment of the city began on the night of 17 June.