Mainz's old town is marked by its eventful history. This is evident when you see the medieval cathedral, the old patrician houses, the Electoral Palace, the winding alleys, and picturesque squares. In addition, modern buildings—the town hall designed by Danish architect Arne Jacobsen in 1971, the Brand shopping center, the Rheingoldhalle, and Fort Malakoff—bear witness to the changing times.

History and culture, the rise and fall of the last 2000 years are reflected in a walk through the old town. Here, bordered by the former fortifications that ran from the Kaisertor in the north via today's Kaiserstraße and the main railway station to the citadel in the south, the city of Mainz has its origins. "Mogontiacum," "Aurea Moguntia"—the old city names and designations live on today in the memory of the former capital of Upper Germania in the Roman Empire.

War and destruction have repeatedly struck Mainz over two millennia – most severely between 1942 and 1945 during the Second World War. At that time, almost the entire city was reduced to rubble and ashes. Today, much of it has been lovingly rebuilt and restored. Augustinerstraße, along the banks of the Rhine, and on market days in front of the impressive backdrop of St. Martin's Cathedral are bustling with activity.