Trip to Democracy - von Eltville nach Mainz auf den Spuren Gutenbergs

The excursion takes a ship from Eltville along the Rhine to Mainz, where the interim of the Gutenberg Museum will be visited. Until the new museum is built in the coming years, the interim has relocated its exhibition to the former Reichklara Monastery in the Natural History Museum. Here, the museum director Dr. Ulf Sölter will guide us through the impressive exhibition about the life and work of Johannes Gutenberg, which already sparks curiosity for the reopening of the Gutenberg Museum. Look forward to a visit to the printing workshop and take a look at the heart of the exhibition, the famous treasury with the Bible prints.

Program:

1:00 p.m.: Meeting point Lower Castle Gate / Courtyard of the Electoral Castle: Tour tracing Gutenberg's footsteps through Eltville (duration approx. 30-45 minutes)

2:00 p.m.: Departure of the ship (Charterliner van de Lücht), city pier Eltville (drinks and snacks can be purchased on board).

3:00 p.m. Arrival at the boat landing Fischtor-Platz in Mainz, walking to the Gutenberg Museum (approx. 10 minutes)

3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tour in the Gutenberg Museum and visit to the printing workshop, opportunity to print. Walking back to the boat landing.

6:00 p.m. Return trip to Eltville by ship, arrival Eltville at city pier approx. 7:00 p.m.

Background:

The cities of Eltville and Mainz on the Rhine are connected not only by the Rhine, but also by history: for 820 years, the Rheingau belonged to Mainz; the Electoral Castle Eltville once served as the summer residence of the Mainz archbishops. And Johannes Gutenberg connects Mainz and Eltville: born in 1400 in Mainz, Gutenberg often visited his maternal family in Eltville, where his older brother Friele Gensfleisch also lived and worked.

And here, in 1465, he received the only honor during his lifetime when Elector Adolf of Nassau appointed him as courtier. Presumably, he was inspired in Eltville to utilize the process of pressing wine for his later printing method with movable type. This invention revolutionized the world – and sowed the first democratic seeds. 

Because it was only thanks to the printing press with movable letters that reformer Martin Luther and his companions were able to multiply and disseminate his theses among the people. The printing process developed at a breakneck speed by the standards of the day; after Mainz, Eltville and Strasbourg were the places where printing was done thanks to the new technology.

This excursion today highlights how the brilliant invention from Mainz became the cornerstone of our modern democracy and why one can still discover the traces of Gutenberg in the small town of Eltville.

Costs: 15 euros including guided tour Eltville, boat tour, museum admission, and museum tour in Mainz

Tickets at www.eltville.de/ticketshop as well as on-site at the Tourist Information Eltville on the Rhine, phone 06123 9098-0, touristik@eltville.de

This is an event as part of a cooperation between the city of Eltville am Rhein, the Castle and Gutenberg Association Eltville, and the Gutenberg Museum Mainz. WDC 2026 is funded by the state of Hesse, the city of Frankfurt am Main, and the Cultural Fund Frankfurt RheinMain.

The organizers would like to thank "World Design Capital 2026" as well as NASPA (Nassauische Sparkasse) for the financial support of the event.

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The event "Trip to Democracy" is part of the global project World Design Capital and is financed by it. This title is awarded every two years by the World Design Organization (WDO)® to support cities in their efforts to promote design in economic, social, cultural, and ecological areas.

In 2026, the Frankfurt RheinMain region will carry the title "World Design Capital 2026". The motto "Design for Democracy. Atmospheres for a better life – Let's design how we want to live" is an invitation to actively participate in the shaping of our living spaces and our democracy.