Mainz, << mynts >> (pop. 200,344), is a commercial and industrial city in southwestern Germany. It lies where the Rhine and Main rivers meet. Mainz serves as the capital of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate.
Mainz has a beautiful, old inner town. Its numerous landmarks include a cathedral that was begun in 975 and Johannes Gutenberg University, which was founded in 1477. The city’s old buildings include examples of the Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque styles of architecture. Mainz produces wines from grapes that are grown nearby. The city’s other industries include the production of cement, machinery, motor vehicles, and printed materials.
Roman soldiers established a military camp on the site of what is now Mainz in 38 B.C. During the Middle Ages, Mainz became a prosperous city and the seat of archbishops. St. Boniface became its first archbishop in A.D. 745.
