Carnival in Mainz

A 1,000-year-old Romanesque cathedral featuring a double-chancel design and numerous funerary monuments of former Prince-Electors. The interior and the associated cathedral museum house religious artworks spanning a millennium of the city's history. Public tours are held on the last Saturday of each month (registration via info@dommuseum-mainz.de).

Founded in 990 and rebuilt as a Gothic hall church between 1267 and 1340, this is the city's second most significant church and features a distinctive double-choir layout. While its Baroque interior was lost in the 19th century and the original vaults were replaced by a flat wooden ceiling after World War II, it remains notable for its large octagonal bell tower and late-Gothic cloister. Visited in part for its world-famous blue windows by Marc Chagall. St. Stephan is world-renowned for its nine blue stained-glass windows created by Marc Chagall, which depict biblical scenes and bathe the interior in a unique blue light. The church closes to visitors during weddings, which frequently take place on Saturdays between 13:45 and 15:00; as these are only announced in the local parish bulletin, they cannot be checked online in advance.

Built between 1896 and 1903 in Renaissance Revival style, this Protestant church features a massive dome designed as a counterbalance to the Catholic cathedral. Guided tours, including the tower, are available by appointment, though tower access is closed from March to mid-August to protect nesting peregrine falcons. The church offers a special visitor program on the Open Heritage Day (Tag des offenen Denkmals), held annually on the second Sunday of September.

Completed in 1775, this Neoclassical hall church features an impressive sandstone facade modelled after the Parisian church of Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais. It is notable for its vaulted ceilings painted by Johann Baptist Enderle and a historic crypt containing over 190 "baker's oven" graves.

A prominent example of Rococo architecture, featuring a distinctive red sandstone façade that contrasts with the surrounding buildings. It was built in the late 18th century as part of an Augustinian monastery, and is one of the few churches in the Mainz Old Town to survive the bombings of 1945 largely intact, preserving its ornate interior and a rare original Stumm organ.

Characterized by its well-preserved half-timbered houses and narrow, winding alleyways. This area serves as the atmospheric heart of the city, blending medieval architecture with vibrant local shops, traditional wine taverns, and historic landmarks like the Augustinerkirche.