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On the construction site for the LU: complex, the archaeologists are now holding the reins / First outstanding finds / Container tempts visitors to ‘look in, look around, look out’.

‘It is an exciting site where we can expect to find spectacular things,’ says Stephanie Metz, the new head of the Mainz branch of the GDKE’s State Archaeology Directorate, summing it all up. Since the beginning of the year, various members of its staff have been digging slowly and ever deeper into the past on the corner of Gutenbergplatz/Fuststraße/Bischofsplatz, with the excavation and demolition work carried out by the Gemünden construction company having prepared the historically interesting terrain for the archaeologists. Over the coming weeks and months, the focus will initially be on the archaeologists, who will survey the area for ‘Mainz treasures’. The new LU: complex is then set to be built here and in a further construction phase on Ludwigsstraße – with a vibrant mix of retail stores, eateries and cultural spaces, plus homes, offices and a hotel.

The proximity to the old St John’s Cathedral, but also finds from the recent past in the wider area, attest to the presence of Roman buildings around Ludwigsstraße. ‘From an archaeological perspective, we are currently moving between the modern period and the Frankish era on the construction site and are slowly working our way towards the Romans,’ says Metz. One of the first notable finds was a jug from the late modern period. Considerably more spectacular was a papal bull presumed to date from the Middle Ages: ‘This is a truly outstanding find,’ adds Stephanie Metz, ‘about which we are unable to say very much at the moment because the object is in a rather poor condition and must firstly be restored. I haven’t even been able to read it myself yet.’

The project developers from J. Molitor Immobilien GmbH, Sparkasse Rhein-Nahe and the Mainz Cathedral Chapter are also eagerly awaiting further excavations. Fully in keeping with the spirit of the future LU: leisure quarter, the public should also be able to get involved in the current excavations. ‘It therefore gives us immense pleasure to present our LU: pop-up container today for people who cannot resist the LU:RE of old and new treasures in Mainz city centre,’ says Molitor Managing Director Tina Badrot. Volker Schick, Head of Real Estate Projects at Sparkasse Rhein-Nahe, and Volkmar Hommel, speaking on behalf of the Mainz Cathedral Chapter, underline: ‘From an elevated position and with the benefit of a panoramic window, visitors have a wonderful view of the excavations.’

High Mayor Nino Haase is delighted that people are being given new access to Mainz’s Roman heritage: ‘The site close to the old St John’s Cathedral in the heart of our city is of particular archaeological significance, so it pleases me all the more that the people of Mainz can now actively get involved in the excavations, enabling us to link our city’s past with the future in a wonderful way. Mainz must be able to see and experience its treasures.’

Marianne Grosse, Head of the Building and Culture Department, adds: ‘We are delving into Mainz’s past right here in the heart of the city and are looking forward to taking the public with us on this journey through time.’ The container can be accessed from Bischofsplatz via a staircase. Yet it is also worth taking a look around the container: inside, visitors are invited to take a look at a wide range of new and old treasures found in Mainz city centre. Among other things, there are display cases featuring ‘treasure hunter’ tools and current gems from the lulu. The latest finds may also be exhibited here from time to time. In addition, a QR code in the container provides the option of viewing background information about the excavations and the work of the archaeologists on a smartphone. To kick things off, a video featuring Stephanie Metz and her team was specially filmed, in which she provides initial insights into her work and the construction site from an archaeological perspective. Visitors can place their own personal treasures from Mainz city centre on a board using a ‘treasure map’. A few weeks back, archaeological hoarding banners were erected around the construction site in conjunction with the GDKE, documenting significant Roman finds from Mainz in a light-hearted manner.

Further information

‘The LU:RE of Mainz treasures’ video: Those interested in the project will find a video featuring additional information about the work of the archaeologists on Fuststraße at www.lu-erleben.de

A large key made of pretzel dough symbolises the next important step towards the new health department building: Tina Badrot, F. Albrecht Graf von Pfeil and Christian Schupp (J. Molitor Immobilien GmbH) along with Ralf Sadowski and Franz von Ditfurth (Mainzer Aufbaugesellschaft mbH) handed over the key for the new building to District Administrator Dorothea Schäfer on behalf of the Kisselberg joint venture project company, which means that the district of Mainz-Bingen is now officially the master of the house at Isaac-Fulda-Allee 2d in Mainz. The building cost around 20 million euros – including taxes and additional expenses. The state is on board with funding of 2.1 million euros.

‘This brings us close to the end of a long journey,’ explains Schäfer. She reminds us of the story: before the district was able to buy the building in the immediate vicinity of the Europakreisel roundabout at the end of last year, several years had been spent searching for a new property and many options were examined. For one thing, the old building on Große Langgasse in Mainz is no longer modern enough. Plus it had been getting increasingly cramped. ‘That’s all behind us now. The team at the public health department can now enjoy state-of-the-art offices, consulting rooms and laboratories.’

This is a view echoed by the councillor responsible for the health department, Erwin Malkmus: ‘The new building fully meets the requirements of a modern healthcare service, which we offer both for the Mainz–Bingen district and for the city of Mainz.’ District councillor Steffen Wolf, responsible for building management, added: ‘This means that we now have a state-of-the-art workplace that is ideally equipped in terms of ambient conditions. Accordingly, we have positioned ourselves for the challenges that lie ahead.’

‘A new era is now dawning for the health department following the handover of the key, and we wish to congratulate it on this,’ adds Ralf Sadowski, Managing Director of Mainzer Aufbaugesellschaft. ‘We are delighted that we were able to offer the district of Mainz-Bingen this attractive location, which will see huge development in the coming years – embedded between industry, service providers, the science community and research in the field of health.’

‘The public health department is paving the way for the new life sciences location at the entrance to the city of Mainz. Just a pedestrian bridge away, Molitor is working with partners to develop Mainz Innovation Park with laboratory and office buildings,’ says Tina Badrot, Managing Director of J. Molitor Immobilien GmbH, adding: ‘We would like to thank the district and our partner Mainzer Aufbaugesellschaft for their quick, goal-driven and professional cooperation at the new health department.’

The fixtures and fittings are already in place, with the district’s IT department currently still busy with the cabling. More than 100 employees from Langgasse in Mainz and Kreuzhof in Nieder-Olm are scheduled to move to the new site after Easter, which will take a few days. The Kisselberg location, which boasts outstanding transport connections by both bus and tram, as well as by motorway and Saarstrasse, will then go into operation. There are also 40 parking spaces available.