2000 years ago, the Romans appreciated and settled at the strategically crucial confluence of the rivers Rhine and Main. The quality location still remains an important feature today: Mainz is located in the heart of Europe, making Mainz not only an attractive conference venue, but also in great demand as an economic centre for industry, trade, and crafts with expanding professional opportunities and a variety of leisure amenities. Mainz is the capital city of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany, with a population of 201,000 citizens spread over an area of 98 sq km.
How to Get There:
Next door to the Fraport, as continental Europe’s largest airport, Frankfurt Rhein Main, is called, Mainz is easily reached from there by commuter rail in 25 minutes. Mainz is thus easily accessible by road, rail, or even ship. More than 160 local, regional, national and international trains arrive daily at Mainz’s renovated Hauptbahnhof. High speed ICE and other express trains linking northern Germany with Switzerland, Italy and southern France stop at Mainz, and trains from all parts of Germany and eastern Europe connect. Steaming down to Mainz by boat is both leisurely and enjoyable. The trips originate in Basel, Holland, or from such distant lands as Greece, Turkey, Rumania, Bulgaria, Moldavia, Hungary and Austria.
What to See:
Roman-Germanic central museum (Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum);
Antique Maritime Museum (Museum für Antike Schifffahrt); Roman remains, including Jupiter's column, Drusus' mausoleum, the ruins of the theatre and the aqueduct; Mainz Cathedral of St. Martin (Mainzer Dom), over 1,000 years old; The Iron Tower (Eisenturm, tower at the former iron market); The Wood Tower (Holzturm, tower at the former wood market); The Gutenberg Museum – exhibits an original Gutenberg Bible amongst many other printed books from the 15th century; Mainz Old Town - what's left of it, the quarter south of the cathedral survived World War II; The Electoral Palace (Kurfürstliches Schloss), residence of the prince-elector;
Marktbrunnen, one of the largest Renaissance fountains in Germany; Domus Universitatis (1615), the tallest edifice in Mainz; Christ Church (Christuskirche), built 1898–1903, bombed in 1945 and rebuilt in 1948–1954 and the Church of St. Stephan and the Schönborner Hof (1668).
Where to Eat:
Mainz has two culinary specialities, both types of cheese. Spundekäse is local delicacy, served with chopped raw onion and pretzels —it goes great with beer. Handkäse is a sour milk cheese with a pungent aroma and is an acquired taste. Good restaurants are Haus des Weines, Geberts Weinstuben, Heiliggeist, Bellpepper, Rheingold and Atrium Mainz.
Wine: Mainz is one of the centres of the German wine economy and home to the famous Blue Nun wine. The Mainzer Weinmarkt (wine market) is one of the great wine fairs in Germany.
Hotels:
Mainz has over 40 hotels. The well-rounded range of hotel services includes international names such Hilton, Hyatt, Dorint, Hotel Koenigshof, TOP Hotel Hammer, Novotel Mainz and Accor as well as a number of high-class privately owned hotels that are all part of the hospitality of the city. 4 B&Bs/Inns are also available. Youth Hostel Mainz, City Mitwohnzentrale Mainz (Short term accomodation), Home Company (Short term accomodation) as well as private
apartments and rooms can be found online.
