Mainz and the Rheinhessen Region
The city of Mainz, with about 223 000 inhabitants is the 35th largest city in Germany and the capital of Rheinland-Palatinate, one of the 16 german federal states. Together with the cities of Frankfurt am Main, Wiesbaden, Darmstadt, Offenbach am Main, and Hanau, the city of Mainz is part of the Rhine-Main Metropolitan Region, the second largest metropolitan region in Germany. Mainz is located at the confluence of two of the most important rivers in Germany, the Rhine and the Main, and is part of the Rheinhessen region, one of the german most important wine area.
The city was founded by the ancient Romans in the first century BC on the northen frontier of the Roman Empire at the confluence of the two rivers Rhine and Main. During the Holy Roman Empire, Mainz became the capital of the Electorate of Mainz and the seat of the Archbishop-Elector of Mainz. The Mainz Cathedral (commonly called Mainzer Dom) is an architucture example of this period. Mainz is the birthplace of Johannes Gutenberg, who first introduced the movable type printing press and manufactured his first book in the city in the early 1450s. Two exemplaries of the Gutenberg Bibles are kept in Mainz at the Gutenberg Museum. The city was heavily destroyed during the World War II, expecially the old town, but many buildings were rebuilt post-war with a similar architecture.
As most of the german cities located along the Rhine river, Mainz is famous for its carnival celebrations (known from the population as the 5th season starting on the 11th of November until the beginning of the Lent). The city is the seat of several television and radio stations (e.g. the ZDF the second german televison station), as well as of important companies (e.g. the biotechnology Biontech and the glass multinational Schott AG).
For more information about the city of Mainz and its surrondings you can visit the Mainz Turist and the Mainz city webpages.
JGU Mainz
The Johannes Gutenberg University is a public research university and one of the ten largest universities in Germany. The university was founded in 1477 under the name of "University of Mainz" as one of the first university in Europe. It was reopened, by the French forces based in Germany, after a 150-year break in 1946 and named after the Mainzer printer Johannes Gutenberg. It combines almost all academic disciplines, including the University Medical Center, the School of Music and the Academy of Arts, and it is the sole german university of this size with almost all institues on one campus. The JGU Mainz, with abot 35 000 students and about 100 fields of study, has good positions in national and international rankings, and is a member of a group of fifteen major research and medical universities in Germany. At the JGU campus the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, the Instutite of Molecular Biology, the electron accelerators MAMI and MESA, the research reactor TRIGA are hosted. A botanical garden, a sports stadium and an indoor swimming pool are also presented on campus.
Eating in Mainz
The city offers a variety of places depending on the price and the type of cuisine. In the following some suggestions:
- Augustinerkeller (german cuisine). Address: Augustinerstraße 26, 55116.
- Al Cortile (italian restaurant and pizzeria). Address: Kartäuserstraße 14, 55116.
- Eisgrub-Bräu (german brewery). Address: Weißliliengasse 1A, 55116.
- Eulchen Brauerei Mainz (german brewery). Address: Kupferbergterrasse 17, 55116.
- Goldener Hirsch (regional german cuisine). Address: Nackstraße 16, 55118
- Il Mondo (italian restaurant and pizzeria). Address: Kurmainzstraße 24, 55126.
- Kamin (Flammkuchen restaurant). Address: Kapuzinerstraße 8, 55116.
- Niko Niko Tei (japanese cuisine). Address: Gaustraße 67, 55116.
- Weinhaus Michel (wine house). Address: Jakobsbergstraße 8, 55116.
- Zum Goldstein (german restaurant). Address: Kartäuserstraße 3, 55116 Mainz
Eating at the Campus during the Lunch Break
There are a few restaurants located inside the Campus or in its neraby.
- Baron Restaurant. Address (building of the conference): Johann-Joachim-Becher-weg 3. Opening hours: Mo--Sa 9am-10pm.
- Imbiss Diwan. Address: Johann-Joachim-Becher-Weg 23a. Opening hours: Mo--Fr 11:30am-8pm, Saturday 11:30am-3pm.
- La Oliva Pizzeria. Address: Am Gonsenheimer Spieß 2. Opening hours: Mo--Sa 11:30am-3pm and 5pm-10pm, Su 1pm-9pm.
- Plaka Greek Restaurant. Address: Albert-Schweitzer-Straße 19. Opening hours: Tu--Sa 11:30am-12pm and 5pm-9pm, Su 11:30am-9pm.
- Werners backery. Address: Campus entrance Forum. Opening hours: Mo--Fr 7am-3pm, Sa 7am-2pm.
Alternately, you can use one of the university canteens. A detailed meal plan is available here. Please be aware that it is not possible to pay with cash or credit card at the university canteens. You need either to install the Mensa App or use a "Gastkarte" which you obtain at the machines located in the canteens.
- ZentralMensa. Address: Staudingerweg 15. Opening hours: Mo--Fr 11:30am-3pm.
- Mens@aria. Address: Staudingerweg 15 (up floor). Mo--Thu 8am-3pm, Fr 8am-2pm.
- Mensa ReWi. Address: Jakob-Welder-Weg 9. Opening hours: Mo--Th 8am-4pm, Friday 8am-3pm.
- Mensa Bambus. Address: Jakob-Welder-Weg 12. Opening hours: Mo--Th 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-4pm, Saturday 11am-4pm.
Internet Access on Campus
Free wireless internet access is provided all over the campus. If your institution is participating in eduroam, you can connect to the eduroam wireless network using your institutions login credentials. You have also the possibility to connect to the Wi-Fi calles Uni-Mainz, which is also availbale over the campus. Credentials and instructions will be provided at the registration desk.
Currency and ATM on Campus
The german currency is the Euro (EUR).
The following ATM are available on the university campus:
- Mainzer Volksbank. Address: Staudingerweg 21.
- Sparkasse Mainz. Address: Albert-Schweitzer-Straße / Saarstraße.
Phone
The international country code for Germany is +49. The Mainz area code is 06131 (without the "0" when calling from outside Germany).
Socket
In Germany, power plugs and sockets of Type F (also called Schuko or CEE7/3 socket) are used. The standard voltage is 230 V at a frequency of 50 Hz.
TAXI
Mainz Taxi call: +49 6131 910910
Supermarkets
Close to the campus the following supermarkets are available:
- King-Park-Center. Address: Dr. Martin-Luther-King-Weg 20, 55122. Markets: EDEKA supermarket, ALDI supermarket, post office, pharmacy, and a couple of other small shops.
- REWE Supermarket. Address: Dijonstraße 97, 55122.
Please, be aware that on Sunday all supermarkets are closed.
Various supermarkets are also located in and around the main station.
Emergency Numbers
110 Police (free of charge)
112 Fire Department and Emergency Medical Service (free of charge)
116 117 Medical care service.
For medical assistance you can consult any resident doctor during his/her consultation hours. Alternately, you can visit the Ärztliche Bereitschaftspraxis located at Universitätsmedizin (building 605) Langenbeckstraße 1, 55131 Mainz (Phone +49 6131 1617). They are opened during the night and from Friday 3pm until Monday 8am.
Pharmacies (Apotheken) close to the main station:
- Bahnhof Apotheke (inside the mainz station). Address: Bahnhofplatz 1, 55116. Phone +49 6131 9720950.
- Rhein Apotheke (on the square outside the main station). Address: Bahnhofplatz 2, 55116, Phone +49 6131 231303.
Outside of the working hours you can cosult the pharmacies emergency service via internet via the Website of ABDA (enter Mainz in the box labelled "PLZ/Ort" and press search button "suchen").
