Hello Beyond Last Week Readers. Welcome back to Europe!! Thankfully the globe opened up for international travel again. As usual, I took time to explore some history during my travels, and this blog will showcase a day of exploring around the city of Mainz Germany. I will discuss some current travel rules and provide some advice and tips for your travels. Sit back, learn how to spend an afternoon in Historic Mainz Germany then plan your history exploration.
As we crossed over the English Channel on the flight to Germany, I did what I always do. I watched the flight map to see where we were, where we were going, and how long until we got there. We flew over one of the most storied and historic shorelines in Europe; Dunkirk.
Though not on my List of Top 10 Historical Places I still need to visit, it is a place that, if given a chance, I would jump to visit. Maybe one day I can visit, explore, see where the Germans pinned the English down along the beach, and where boats of all sizes tried (and mostly succeeded) to rescue the English during World War II. And yes, I know the city also has a lot of other histories. I need to explore that too.
Back to Spending an Afternoon in Mainz
The city of Mainz sits about 30 minutes southwest of Frankfurt International Airport and is an easy location to get to since you will not need to traverse the city itself.
And since we arrived early in the morning and we didn’t have any meeting planned for the day to help us with the time zone differences, we wanted to explore. This would also help us adjust to the time zone change by staying up until 8 PM or later.
COVID Travel Information and Tips
Covid Travel Tip #1:
When you check in to the airport and provide your Covid documentation, ask them to stamp your ticket or (when leaving Frankfurt) to provide a stamp. This shows they already checked your paperwork and you will not have to go through document checks later close to the gate. As you walk by, just check, but each time, when I showed my stamp or sticker, I was waived on past.
Covid Travel Tip #2:
Once you land in Germany, you will need to present your passport and Covid paperwork at passport control. After that, keep your Covid paperwork handy because you may need it again. Some hotels and restaurants require it, some do not. It depends on where you are in Germany as each local ‘state’ has slightly different rules. In fact, after our day in Mainz, we traveled south to Stuttgart and the rules for social distancing were also different. In and around Mainz, the social distance was 1.5 meters, further south in Stuttgart the social distance jumped to 2 meters. The rules also change rapidly, so my best tip for tips 1 and 2 is to look up the current rules for travel and the rules at the destination.
Covid Travel Tip #3:
Currently to get back into the US from Germany, you need to provide a negative Covid test within 72 hours of travel. There are multiple places within Germany to take a test, including at the airport.
Back to Mainz
Not only did we arrive right after Germany started opening up from Covid, but we are also a few days after some of the worst rain Germany has experienced in a long time. The rain lasted for several days and river flooding, unfortunately, led to many deaths. The Rhine looked high, fast, and like lightly creamed coffee with logs and debris floating in the current. Try to know what is going on where you are going so you can try to match the mood, or at least understand the mood you experience.
Fortunately for us, the sun rode high in the sky with very little cloud coverage and there was a light breeze to keep us cool. Our hotel sat along the Rhine and that gave us a good spot to watch the locals get out and start enjoying the weather and some freedoms after a long 18 months.
The locals rode bikes along the river. They lounged in parks catching the sun. Some ate brunch under umbrellas. Some started celebrating early and enjoyed the beer and wine halls. Others just walked the paths, happy to be out of the rain and out of the doom of Covid.
Quick Mainz History
The first main ‘large’ habitation in the area of Mainz occurred around 15-10 BC when the Romans built a fort. The city continued to grow and established itself as a Roman Catholic Diocese in the early 4th century AD. Throughout history, the city becomes important to Christianity and advances in science. In fact, Mainz is the location Johannes Gutenberg uses a printing press to print a Bible, launching the birth of the printing press. The city also sees conflict during wartime and regrowth and prosperity after the strife. Although Mainz is overshadowed by its neighbor Frankfurt, it is an important city in history.
As you spend an afternoon walking around the city you see a mixture of history and present-day; Romanesque and contemporary; young and old. The other thing I noticed and loved was the bells. Sunday morning church bells sound amazing in Germany.
And the city is filled with churches, statues, and fountains. Here are a few examples before I focus on our main target of history.
The main focus of my afternoon in Mainz is the Cathedral and St. Stephan’s Church located inside. The Cathedral is a key focus if you look at the city’s skyline from outside the city. The towers dwarf many of the other city buildings. Additionally, the Cathedral sits in the main square, surrounded by shops, restaurants, and flower gardens. But before exploring this historic building, we needed to get a bit settled.
Brunch in the Main Square
Since we arrived too early to check-in and freshen up, we took the opportunity to eat in one of the restaurants along the square, Wilma Wunder. The atmosphere, delightful. The location, amazing. German breakfast, delicious (European breakfasts are so much better than what we normally eat in the US.)
Travel Tip #1
You need to get used to eating with people smoking around you. People still smoke while eating in Europe and it is not something that I enjoy. But I know it is going to happen and I remember I am in a different country and there are different rules. I remember I have to be flexible. I know I have to adapt. So, understand it is going to happen, accept it (try to avoid it if possible), but enjoy exploring new cultures, new places, and new people.
The Mainz Cathedral
As I did my pre-trip research (see Tip #1 in a previous article), I knew I wanted to visit the Cathedral and St Stephan’s Church. I also read that it might be closed due to Covid. That bit of information looked old, so I hoped the information was outdated and I could get inside. My Boss even said the Church’s mass schedule included a 5 PM English mass and I wanted to go. No luck.
The Cathedral was still closed due to Covid. We could only explore the outer cloister of the Cathedral and look into the inner open-air square.
Mainz Cathedral History
In doing my pre-trip research, I used the following two sites for references: Sacred Destinations and Spotting History. Both proved useful and will be where the history described below comes from since I could not truly explore and get any materials from the site. The Cathedral’s construction started near the end of the 10th century in 975 AD. However, due to fires and war, the Cathedral was continually rebuilt over the years. (Thankfully during the Allied bombing in WWII, the Cathedral escaped with almost no damage.)
The Cathedral holds a link to the Crusades as well. In 1188, Emperor Frederick I started his campaign for the Third Crusade from the Mainz Cathedral.
Looking into the outdoor square adjacent to the cloister you see gravestones of Bishops buried at the Cathedral. In total, 45 Bishops are buried at the Cathedral. In the cloister, along the walls and the floor, you will find other grave monuments since the 11th Century.
Unfortunately, we could not go inside the Cathedral, so I will save that topic for a later post after I hopefully go back (and it is reopened.) However, the beauty I did witness while exploring the limited spaces available is extraordinary. The massive size and unique architecture of the building set the Cathedral apart from its surroundings.
Other Interesting Points of History in Mainz You Can Explore
If you have the time, there are a few other historical places to explore. Since my body started rebelling from the lack of sleep and the 7 miles we walked around town, I did not have time but will explore them when I go back.
The Gutenberg Museum
Located a short distance from the Cathedral, the Gutenberg Museum is dedicated to the printer. Inside you will find two original Gutenberg Bibles and other items honoring Johannes Gutenberg and the process he developed.
Museum Castellum
Museum Castellum sits on the opposite side of the Rhine and looks to be an interesting place to visit and explore. And, after a walk across the bridge, if you wanted to, there is a Beer Garden along the river for you to relax at and enjoy the views. We chose to just have some chocolate shell-covered soft ice cream from a cart next to the bridge. On a hot day, that hit the spot.
Right before we crossed back over, we saw some more modern street art under the bridge. Juxtaposed with the more historical nation of the area gave this display a lively feel.
The Eisenturn, Alexanderturm and Holzturm Towers
During the medieval era, a wall and 34 guard and gate towers surrounded the city. Originally built in the middle of the 13th century, only these 3 towers remain. I walked past the Holzturm, which is located between the Cathedral and the Rhine, and linked the old city center with the fishing village of Selenhofen. It also served as a prison during the 15th Century. The Eisenturn now serves as an art exhibit venue.
Travel Tip #2
Remember I walked 7 miles? Wear comfortable shoes. A lot of the walking paths or roads are cobblestone. Cobblestones are very common in Europe (especially the “Older parts of towns and cities”) so be prepared. My feet hurt after walking all day long.
Other Adventures Mainz Offers
River Cruises
Along the Rhine River sits around a dozen river cruise piers. I watched several ships dock and take on passengers, even with the conditions of the river. You can look at this CruiseMapper schedule for times of arrival and departure.
Daily Fun and Activites
As you walk along the River, there are many ‘billboards’ showing other activities in the city. Take a look and see what interests you.
Great Food (and the end of my afternoon exploring Mainz)
Too tired to find a restaurant (this is a failure…I am usually always prepared with ideas and options…guess I am a bit out of practice) we just went back to the hotel (the Hilton) and ate at the restaurant there. Thankfully, sometimes some of the simplest options turn out great. Not only the simplest option but the simplest food. Fresh mozzarella and tomatoes, parmesan fries with white truffle mayo, and a cold drink. Even if you don’t stay at the Hilton, try these two dishes there. Simple, yet divine. The creaminess of the mayo and the crunch of the fries! The smoothness of the cheese with the acidic tomato and pesto! It finished a wonderful afternoon walking adventure around Mainz.
Overall, Mainz is a wonderful and historic city (with a twist of modernity) to spend an afternoon in. I know I will be going back, and I will update this post, or add new posts as appropriate. Like many European cities, there are a lot of things to do and I have only scratched the surface. I hope you enjoyed this post about how to spend an afternoon in Mainz. As always, thank you for reading, stay safe and I wish you good luck traveling.
No Comments