Explore the city from the customs port
The completely redesigned area of the former Mainz inland harbour offers a wide variety of space for modern living, working, gastronomy, shopping and art around the harbour basin on the Rhine. Here in the centre of the modern city quarter Mainzer Zollhafen, the H2 Hotel Mainz is the optimal address to enjoy relaxed city flair.
The proximity to the Old Town, which is within walking distance, and the convenient connection of your accommodation in Mainz to the A 643 are two further plus points: If you would like to take part in a guided tour of the ZDF television garden, you can reach the broadcasting centre by car within 20 minutes. Simply set off from your hotel and discover the sights of Mainz.
The landmark and most impressive building in the city centre is the Mainz Cathedral St. Martin. Named one of the three imperial cathedrals of the Rhineland along with those of Worms and Speyer, the Romanesque pillar basilica was built from 975 onwards. Three fires led to the initial building being extended and supplemented with late Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque elements. The tomb monuments of the archbishops and the Romanesque St. Gotthard's Chapel are worth seeing.
A jewel is the late Gothic cloister. Today, the cathedral and diocesan museum is housed here and in the adjacent chapter buildings, where works of art from two thousand years of history can be admired. It takes about eight minutes by car to get here from the H2 Hotel Mainz.
The Iron Tower near the banks of the Rhine is one of the three remaining medieval city towers, along with the wooden tower and the Alexander Tower. Built in the early 13th century and expanded in the 15th century, it got its name from the iron market held nearby until the 19th century. As part of the city wall, the tower served as a watchtower and city gate. In later times it was used as a prison.
The building, which was damaged in the Second World War, was reconstructed and now houses various artists' initiatives and associations. Art exhibitions are held regularly. It takes about seven minutes to get here from the H2 Hotel Mainz by car or 25 minutes on foot.
A popular shopping street with a long tradition and houses worth seeing is Augustinerstraße, whose route and side streets are still reminiscent of the medieval townscape. In addition to the half-timbered houses, the commercial buildings with red sandstone arches or a cast iron design on the ground floor are characteristic.
Among the oldest surviving residential buildings in the town are the narrow two-axle half-timbered buildings such as house number 11 or 17, which date back to the 17th century. It takes about half an hour to walk from the H2 Hotel Mainz to the old town alleys around Augustinerstraße, and just under ten minutes by car.
The oldest Gothic hall church on the Middle Rhine and one of the most important churches in Mainz is the Catholic Parish Church of St. Stephan. Founded as early as 990 by Archbishop Willigis, the successor building completed around 1340 still exists today. The greatest attraction of St Stephan's Church are the unique stained glass windows, glowing in different shades of blue, designed by the artist Marc Chagall.
As a sign of the Jewish-Christian bond, the artist designed the windows in 1978 and executed the black-lot paintings himself until his death in 1985. One of the most famous biblical scenes depicted here is the temptation of Adam and Eve. It takes a good half hour on foot or fifteen minutes by car to get here from the H2 Hotel Mainz.
As one of the oldest museums for printing and the art of writing in the world, the Gutenberg Museum was founded in Mainz as early as 1900 on the 500th anniversary of Johannes Gutenberg's birth. The exhibition devotes a lot of attention to the inventor of letterpress printing using cast, movable type and a printing press. The museum's gems are two original editions of the Gutenberg Bible, the first book ever printed in this way.
The work of the book printer is vividly recreated in the reconstructed Gutenberg workshop. In addition, the Museum of the Art of Writing and Printing also takes other cultures into account. The journey from the H2 Hotel Mainz to the hotel takes about eight minutes by car or 30 minutes on foot.
