Gutenberg-Denkmal

The Gutenberg-Denkmal stands on Gutenbergplatz in Mainz, Germany, honouring Johannes Gutenberg and his invention of printing with movable type. Bertel Thorvaldsen’s bronze figure presents Gutenberg in idealised form, holding a Bible in one hand and printing types in the other.

The idea emerged in the late eighteenth century, during the French occupation of Mainz, but local civic efforts secured Thorvaldsen’s commission in the early nineteenth century. Charles Crozatier cast the statue in Paris, while subscriptions from across Europe funded the work, which was unveiled in 1837 during a three-day festival attended by thousands. Restoration in 2008 helped preserve the monument, while Johannisnacht still brings book markets and traditional printing demonstrations to its surroundings.

The scene’s most direct detail remains in Gutenberg’s hands: a Bible and the small types that represent the spread of printed knowledge.