Tuesday, June 19th: Hannah & Clarah

The whole GAPP gang in the Roman gate

Hello!  It's Hannah & Clarah! Today we visited Mainz and we visited 2 different churches and a Roman Gateway.
(NB from Frau S:  the entire GAPP group of 31 students and 4 adults went on this field trip, which was led by my good friend and former GAPP Partner Josef Zeimentz.  Josef is a retired English teacher from Gymansium Nieder-Olm, which is near Mainz).






In one of the churches , we walked around the path in the Kloister where the monks would go to read and recite passages from the Bible.

(NB from Frau S:  St. Stephan's is the home of the Chagall Windows, created by the Jewish artist Marc Chagall as a reconciliation gift between Germany & France.  Chagall's windows that he created during his lifetime are all colored stained glass mixed with blue, ones created after his death are just panes in different shades of blue.  Learn more here: https://st-stephan-mainz.bistummainz.de/)

St. Stephen's with some of the Chagall windows

Chagall Fenster (Altar): Frau S

Kloister Walk

Interior of the Mainzer Dom

And the other church (NB from Frau S:  the Mainzer Dom *cathedral) we saw was much older style of church (Romanesque).  Both churches were  approximately 1000 years old.

Mainzer Marktplatz with Dom on the right

This crucifix was carved in 748. Moved to the Dom from a nearby village for "protection".
It is housed in a side chapel in the cathedral.
Photo: Frau S

The Roman gateway had 2 divots where carts used to pass into the city

Southern Gate of the Roman fortress at Mainz

Mogontiacum

(NB from Frau S: Mainz is a city that has more than 2000 years of history.  See the link above, if you'd like to learn more!  The gate the students are standing in was the southern gateway into the city and was found while digging the basement levels of the apartment complex that now exists on the Kupferberg)

Then we spent a few hours hanging out and shopping.  On the train ride home we all tried German and English tongue twisters and had  a good laugh whenever one of us would mess up.  We arrived home late, and Mona, Ina and I (Hannah) had a barbecue and watched the sunset over Blieskastel.  It was a very relaxing way to end our busy day.  😊