Logo and coat of arms

The last revision of Mainz's historic coat of arms, a white double wheel on a red background, took place in 1992 with the introduction of the handbook on the visual appearance of the city of Mainz. With the design of the new logo for the state capital of Mainz, the shape of the coat of arms was slightly modified as a figurative mark. The red shield was given a slight curve, the double wheel was slimmed down a little, and the overall shape of the coat of arms became more elegant. Together with the word mark, it forms a harmonious overall picture without disregarding the laws of heraldry. Its design meets both historical requirements and the demands of modern communication technologies.

The coat of arms appears on all communication media of the state capital Mainz through its integration into the new logo: business papers, brochures, leaflets, certificates, signage, trade fair stands, and other information carriers, as well as on the website www.mainz.de.

The use of the coat of arms is the sole responsibility of the Mainz city administration, which must always approve the use of the coat of arms by third parties.

The Mainz double wheel, two silver wheels with six spokes on a red shield, is one of the most famous symbols. The wheel appears in the coat of arms of Rhineland-Palatinate as well as in more than 50 municipal coats of arms in the Rheingau and Rheinhessen regions, commemorating the historical affiliation of these municipalities with the Electorate of Mainz.

The origin of the wheel is not entirely clear. It was first attested around 1300 in the city council seal and as the emblem of the archbishopric. Until the 16th century, the wheel had eight spokes. As a symbol of the city, it was doubled and connected with a cross. The interpretation that is still accepted today comes from the historian Wilhelm Diepenbach and refers to the strong early Christian tradition in Mainz: the eight-spoked wheel was originally a double cross or the Christ monogram Chi-Ro, surrounded by a nimbus circle.

It underwent numerous changes in the course of history: in the wake of the French Revolution, it was replaced by the image of the goddess of liberty wearing a Jacobin cap, then reinstated in 1811 by decree of Emperor Napoleon, now in color and expanded to include three golden bees in a red bar. In 1814, the city reverted to its old coat of arms, but continued to use the red wheels on a silver or white background with a red bar at the bottom. In 1915, Grand Duke Ernst-Ludwig of Hesse restored it to its old form, which is still valid today: "In a red, rounded shield, the coat of arms is positioned diagonally to the right, showing two six-spoked wheels connected by a cross" (source: Zweitausend Jahre Mainz, 1962).