Mainz and Wiesbaden - 2 capitals. Road and walking tour
Description:
Mainz is an ancient episcopal city.
That is why it has such a large and richly decorated cathedral. Mainz is the capital of the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate. Mainz is a modern industrial center. Mainz is an ever-young university city. Mainz is one of the television centers of Germany, from here several leading TV channels and radio stations broadcast. In Mainz, the German carnival starts on Maslenitsa, in Mainz the first European books were printed, in Mainz and its environs the same Rainwein is made, which is familiar to us at least by name. In short, come and you will not regret it.
Attractions of Mainz
The historical center, the heart of Mainz is the Cathedral of St. Martin and St. Stefan. This is the usual layout of a European city - but the Romanesque Cathedral in Mainz is not ordinary. It is a whole city with many chapels and naves, with a magnificent sacristy and several organs. It can be compared only with the Cologne Cathedral, both in size and impression. The cathedral still "holds" the city, organizes it around itself. Behind the cathedral, the steps lead to the Rhine, on which pleasure boats and boats swim. And on the steps, they shout sassy seagulls.
And behind the Mainz Cathedral is the Museum of Printing. About the most famous citizen of Mainz, Johann Gutenberg, the man who invented printing, of course, everyone knows. The museum exhibits the first European printed specimens, among them the famous Gutenberg Bible.
Not far from the main station of Mainz is another extremely interesting church. Gothic, buildings of the XIV century, with modern stained glass works by Marc Chagall on subjects from the Old and New Testaments. A unique combination of Gothic and Chagall!
Moving to Wiesbaden
Wizbaden is the capital of the federal state of Hesse.
One of the oldest resorts in Europe, it has 26 hot and several cold thermal springs. The symbol of Wiesbaden is Kurzal, which was built under the German Kaiser Wilhelm II. This imposing building serves as a venue for national and international congresses, conferences, exhibitions and cultural events. Nearby is the colonnade, considered the largest columned hall in Europe - its length is 130 meters. Casino Wiesbaden, one of the most famous buildings in Wiesbaden, visited by Richard Wagner, Otto von Bismarck and Elvis Presley. Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky, while traveling to Wiesbaden in 1865, lost all his savings there. He later described it in The Gambler, the theme of which was an all-consuming passion for gambling. Now one of the casino halls is named in his honor.
The Russian Church, which is also called the Greek Chapel, is located on Mount Neroberg, next to it is the Russian cemetery. In the Russian cemetery are buried: Baron Karl Friedrich von der Osten (imperial Russian general and knight), Prince Alexander Pavlovich Urusov, Juliana Pavlovna Kühelbecker, sister of Karl Kühelbeker, Count Musin-Pushkin.
The Old Town Hall (das Alte Rathhaus) is the oldest building in the city (1610). The facade of the building was partially changed during reconstruction in the 19th century. The new Town Hall (das Neue Rathhaus) was built in 1884-1887 in the Neo-Renaissance style. During the Second World War it was completely destroyed, but in 1951 it was restored.