History comes alive in Mainz’s old town. Dominated by the medieval cathedral, you will find beautiful patrician houses, winding alleys, picturesque squares and the Electoral Palace. Modern buildings such as the town hall, the Rheingoldhalle and Fort Malakoff have been built in the immediate vicinity. Walking through the historic city centre, you can sense the city’s eventful history, which dates back to the Romans. Mainz’s old town was regularly destroyed in several wars over the last two millennia – most recently during the Second World War. Between 1942 and 1945, almost the entire city area was bombed. Today, Augustinerstraße, the banks of the Rhine and Domplatz square are the city’s lively meeting places.
