Mainz, Rheinland Pfalz

 Mainz, formerly the episcopal seat of the influential prince electors, was promoted capital of Rheinland Pfalz in 1949. It is one of the oldest towns in Germany, known as Mogontiacum by the Romans. It was chosen by St. Bonifatius (died 755) as the seat of the first German arch bishop. Mainz is also the seat of the Johannes Gutenberg University founded in 1477. Built on the confluence of the Rhein and Main rivers it is the largest wine market in Germany and the setting for one of many carnival celebrations during Fasching. Johannes Gutenberg (1395-1468), the father of modern printing, is a Mainzer. The Mainzer Dom is an interesting combination of various architectural styles. Along with the cathedrals of Worms and Speyer, the Mainzer Dom represents the highpoint of Romanesque architecture along the Rhein. Built primarily in the 11th to 13th centuries it houses several beautiful funerary monuments of Mainzer arch bishops.