Trip to democracy

The towns of Eltville and Mainz am Rhein are connected not only by the Rhine, but also by history:

For 820 years, the Rheingau belonged to Mainz, as the Electoral Castle of Eltville was built as the summer residence of the Archbishops of Mainz. Johannes Gutenberg also connects Mainz and Eltville: born in Mainz in 1400, Gutenberg often visited his maternal family in Eltville, where his older brother Friele Gensfleisch also lived and worked. It was here that he received the only honour of his life as a ‘courtier’ in 1465, and presumably also discovered the process of pressing wine for his later printing process with movable type, which revolutionised the world – and sowed the first seeds of democracy. It was only thanks to Gutenberg's invention of printing with movable type that the reformer Martin Luther and his companions were able to reproduce his theses and bring them to the people. The printing process developed rapidly for the time, and after Mainz, Eltville and Strasbourg were the places where printing took place thanks to the new technology. The boat excursion connects the two Gutenberg cities of Eltville and Mainz.
In both cities, participants will learn how the revolutionary invention of printing with movable type, which led to the reproduction of printed works, paved the way for democracy and its spread.

The excursion begins with a boat trip from Eltville along the Rhine to Mainz, where the temporary exhibition of the Gutenberg Museum will be visited. While the new museum building is being constructed over the coming years, the interim exhibition has been relocated to the former Reichklara Monastery within the Natural History Museum. There, the museum director, Dr. Ulf Sölter, will guide us through the impressive exhibition on the life and work of Johannes Gutenberg, which already sparks anticipation for the reopening of the Gutenberg Museum. Visitors can also look forward to a visit to the historic printing workshop and a glimpse into the heart of the exhibition: the famous Treasury, home to the Gutenberg Bibles.

Programme:

1:00 pm – Meeting point at the Lower Castle Gate / Zwinger of the Electoral Castle: guided tour of Eltville following the traces of Gutenberg (approx. 30–45 minutes)
2:00 pm – Departure of the boat (Charterliner van de Lücht) from the municipal jetty in Eltville (drinks and snacks available for purchase on board)
3:00 pm – Arrival at the Fischtor Square landing stage in Mainz; walk to the Gutenberg Museum (approx. 10 minutes)
3:30–5:30 pm – Guided tour of the Gutenberg Museum and visit to the printing workshop, with the opportunity to print; walk back to the landing stage
6:00 pm – Return boat trip to Eltville, arrival at the municipal jetty at approx. 7:00 pm

Cost: €15, including the guided tour in Eltville, boat trip, museum admission, and guided tour of the museum in Mainz

Tickets are available here and in person at the Eltville am Rhein Tourist Information Office, Phone: +49 6123 9098-0, Email: touristik@eltville.de

The town of Eltville cooperates with the Burg- und Gutenbergverein (Castle and Gutenberg Association), which maintains the memorial site with its Florentine printing press and runs a media education programme based on Johannes Gutenberg. The Gutenberg Museum in Mainz invites visitors to enjoy exciting digital and hands-on activities.