MainzWalking Tour:

Churches

By: Laura Gooderham

Mainz Historic Trail: Church Route

This tour begins at the Wiesbaden Hauptbahnhof. There you will look for the yellow signs which mark the departure times and track number for all of the trains. You will be looking for either an S8 towards Mainz Hauptbahnhof, Gross Gerau. This means that it will stop at the Mainz Hauptbahnhof which is the main train station of Mainz. There are approximately 3 stops from Wiesbaden Hauptbahnhof to Mainz Hauptbahnhof. Those stops are Wiesbaden Ost., Mainz Nord, and then Mainz Hauptbahnhof. Listen to the announcements, they will tell you what stop is coming up next and which side to exit. (Quick German Links=Left, Rechts=Right). Some trains may not stop at the smaller stops like Wiesbaden Ost and Mainz Nord, it is important that you listen to the announcements or look at the signs. Each station has a sign posted where a passenger on the train can see the name of the station. This is very helpful to keep the group from getting lost.

Once at the Mainz Hauptbahnhof exit toward the city at the front of the train station, then cross the street and take a right on to St. Bonifaziustrasse. You should be able to see St. Bonifaziuskirche.

St. Bonifaziuskirche: The church was founded in 1256. In 1462 it burned, afterward a new roof was added. It has primarily served as a monastery and a convent, which it still is today.

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Mainz Historic Trail: Church Route

Next stop, the Christus Kirche! (Kaiserstrasse 56)From the church turn right onto Rhabanus Strasse. Then, turn left onto Kaiserstrasse. Cross the intersection and continue on Kaiserstrasse, the street is divided by a large median, the church is in between the two separate lanes of Kaiserstrasse.

Christus Kirche: This is the largest Protestant church in Mainz. Construction of the church was finished in 1903 after seven years of building. Chirstus Kirche was built not only as a counter for the Dome but also to serve as the main church for the growing Protestant community which had been established in 1802. The church was severely damaged in World War II, and restored in 1952.

Next stop, St Peters by way of the Kurfürstliche Schloss!! (#2 Petersstrasse)Take a left out of the church onto Kaiserstrasse. Then turn a right onto Ernst-Ludwigstrasse. Cross the street. On the left you will see left Kurfürstliche Schloss.

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Mainz Historic Trail: Church Route

Kurfürstliche Schloss: (#2 Ernst-Ludwig Platz)Construction on the Kurfürsliches Schloss or “Prince Electors Palace” began in 1628, and was finally finished in 1752. The complex survived as a palace until occupied by the French under Napoleon. Then it served various uses as a military barracks, hospital, and customs warehouse. In 1842 it became the home of the Mainz library and the Central Roman Germanic Museum. The palace was gutted by fire in 1942, and rebuilt after the war, but not to its’ original elegance.

Continuing to St Peters…… Turn right on onto Grosse Bleiche. On the left will be St. Peter.

St. Peter: This church was built in 1749-56 on the ruins of St. Mary, a church established in 944. It is built in the Rococo style and is filled with beautiful artwork. The twin onion towers were restored in 1989.

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Mainz Historic Trail: Church Route

The magnificent ceiling murals portray the life of St Peter. The original frescos were destroyed during the, but were redone by Karl Manninger his pupil Hermenegild Peikers from 1979 to 1989.

Next stop, St Emmeran, by way of the Römerpassage!! (#19 Emmeranstrasse)Go out of the church and turn left back onto Grosse Bleiche. Turn left at the fountain onto Lotharstrasse. On your right is the Römer Passage a good sized mall, where there are bathrooms and ice cream. This is a good place to take a short break before continuing with the tour. While in the Römer passage, visit the Isis Temple, a temple to the Roman Goddess Isis Panthea, which was discovered during construction in 2001. The temple was carefully removed from the construction site, then replaced in the basement of the mall.

Continuing to St Emmeran!! Continue on and turn left onto KronbergerHof. On your right will be St. Emmeran.

St. Emmeran: Used today as a community center, this church was heavily damaged during WWII, and it’s original Romanesque tower replaced with a simpler pyramid roof.

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Mainz Historic Trail: Church Route

Next stop, the Dome!! Take a right on Grosse Langgasse and then a left onto Ludwig Strasse. On the left is the entrance to the Dome.

Dome: The Cathedral of St Martin and St Stephan is known to the people of Mainz as “The Dome.” The Mainz Dome was modeled after St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome and was built by archbishop Willigis of Mainz.

Construction started in the year 975, but with the exception of two staircase towers which survive, the building burnt to the ground shortly before consecration in 1009.

Over the centuries seven coronations of kings have taken place here and there have been seven fires. Many bishops and important figures are buried here and; for example in the gardens you can see some of the older bishops who were buried there.

Opening hours are: 1 March to 31 October: Mo - Fr 9 am - 6.30 pm, Sa 9 am – 4 pm, Su 12.45 – 3 pm and 4 - 6.30 pm

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Mainz Historic Trail: Church Route

Next stop, Karmeliterkirche!! (#5 Karmeliterplatz) Take a left at the Gutenberg museum. (how did you get to the museum???) Go up the stairs and then head towards the information center. Walk across the platz towards the river. Go down the stairs and take a left at the bottom of the stairs. Take a left at the statues of Romans. Cross the street (Rheinstrasse). Take a right onto Karmeliterstrasse. On the right you will see Karmeliterkirche.

Karmeliterkirche: This church was built between 1326 and 1404 as a monastery. In 1516 the roof burned. In 1700 a new building was built for schooling purposes. The monastery was secularized in 1802, but reclaimed by the Carmelites in 1924 and rebuilt as a church.

Next stop, St Christophkirche!! (#8 Christofsstrasse) Take a right out of the church. Go straight on Karmeliterstrasse, the ruins of St. Christophkirche will be on your left.

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Mainz Historic Trail: Church Route

St. Christof: This is the bombed remains of St. Christof. Here it is said Gutenberg was baptized and inside you can see the baptismal font that Gutenberg was said to be baptized in. It was built between 1292 and 1325 and destroyed in 1945. It is kept now as a memorial for WWII.

Next stop, St Quintins!! (#1 Quintinsstrasse) Take a left onto SchusterQuintinStrasse. Then take a left onto Quintin Strasse. You will see the church on the corner.

St. Quintin: This church was built between 1288 and 1330. It was first mentioned in 744 making it the oldest Parish in Mainz. It has been destroyed several times and rebuilt adding new additions, such as the wooden steeple in 1994. Open daily from 10am – 6pm.

Next stop, the Eisenturm!! Take a left outside of the church onto Quintin strasse. Then take a right onto Rheinstrasse. You will see the Rhiengoldhalle in front of you. As you walk down the street you will see the Eisenturm on your right.

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Mainz Historic Trail: Church Route

Eisenturm: This tower is one of the many towers that once guarded the gates of the city wall around Mainz. Eisenturm means iron tower in English and was the center of the iron market in Mainz. It was built in 1240, and then made taller in the 1400’s. In the 18th century it was used as a prison.

And then the Holzturm! Continue down the street and on your right you will see another tower, this is another tower which guarded a city wall gate.

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Mainz Historic Trail: Church Route

Holzturm: Which when translated into English means “wood tower”. This was part of the former wood market. It was part of the old fortification which surrounded the city of Mainz. Schinderhannes a famous thief of Germany was imprisoned in the tower and was later beheaded outside of the gates.

To the Südbahnhof/Römisches Theater Stop and the tour’s end!! Continue down the street and then take a right onto Holzhofstrasse. Cross the street and you will see the Roman ship museum in front of you. Continue down the street passed the Cinestar and the Bahnhof will be on your left. This is the Römisches Theater stop. You will need to take the S8 towards Wiesbaden Hauptabahnhof. This is the end of your tour.

I would like to recognize some of the many people who helped with this walking tour the Stone family, my leader Mrs. Leknes, my advisor Mrs. Fry, Darren Jennings, my Girl Scout troop 4, my family and all of my friends who tested this tour. Without them this would have never come together. Thank you.

Work Cited"Worth Seeing." Landeshauptstadt Mainz. 2009. 2 Jan. 2009 <http://www.mainz.de/WGAPublisher/online/html/default/mkuz-5sybxc.en.html>.

"Carmelite Monastery." 2000. 31 Jan 2009 <http://www.regionalgeschichte.net/rheinhessen/region/orte/orte-m/mainz/sehenswuerdigkeiten/karmeliterkloster.html>.

"The Dominicans in Mainz since the 1993 start-up." Dominikaner Kloster St. Bonifaz. 31 Jan 2009 <http://www.dominikaner-mainz.de/kommunitaet/kommunitaet.html>.

Mainz City and Cathedral Guide, Michael Imhoff and Simone Kestin, Michael Imhoff Verlag, Petersberg, 2004

Tours on Foot, Mainz, Hans Kersting, Heinrichs-Verlag, GMBH, Bamberg, 2003

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