Mainz on the Rhine: Landing Stages, Old Town and Travel

Landing stages on the Mainz riverfront

Mainz lies on the western bank of the Rhine. The city’s landing-stage plan identifies four areas from north to south: A1 at Adenauerufer, between the city library/city archive and the palace; A2 near the palace; B by the Hilton; and C between the town hall and Theodor-Heuss Bridge. The Old Town and the cathedral lie west of the river and south of the northern landing stages; the main railway station is west of the riverfront.

The plan lists Viking River Cruises at section C.

Roman Mainz, the cathedral and printing history

The city’s history dates back to Roman times. In 13–12 BC, the Romans built a double legionary camp on the Kästrich. Mogontiacum developed into a military and civilian center, and several harbors were established along the Rhine. Roman Mainz also had a Roman theater with 10,000 seats and an aqueduct more than nine kilometers long, running from Finthen to the legionary camp.

St. Martin’s Cathedral has shaped Mainz for more than a thousand years; construction began in 975 under Archbishop Willigis. The historic Old Town is characterized by half-timbered houses and narrow lanes. Later in its history, Mainz also became a center of printing: around 1440, Johannes Gutenberg invented printing with movable type, and from 1452 to 1455 he printed the Gutenberg Bibles in Mainz.

The Gutenberg Museum is dedicated to this printing history. Highlights include the 42-line Gutenberg Bible and a historic printing press; a demonstration illustrates the printing technique. The permanent exhibition is titled “Gutenberg Museum MOVED.” Another distinctive art destination is St. Stephen’s Church. Its nine Chagall windows are Marc Chagall’s only sacred work in Germany. They symbolize hope and Jewish-Christian fellowship.

Main railway station, long-distance buses and airport connections

The city’s long-distance bus stop is located directly in the access road to the west side of the main railway station. Frankfurt Airport (FRA) is a major regional gateway to Mainz and has both a regional and a long-distance railway station.

For other places along the Rhine, the pages on Worms and Bacharach provide their own information on landing stages and the towns. The river cruise overview covers cruise regions, routes and landing stages.