Leichhof

Leichhof is a cobbled plaza in Mainz’s old town, directly south of Mainz Cathedral. Cathedral chapter houses border the square, separating it from the cathedral and its cloister, while three-storey façades and shop arcades frame the space.

The buildings at Leichhof 26 to 36 and Schöfferstraße 2 and 4 were designed by Franz Ignaz Michael Neumann and erected in 1778 and 1779. Their stone-vaulted roofs improved fire safety during the redesign of the cathedral’s west choir. Foundations found in 1777 belonged to the covered Paradies, which once connected St Johannis with the old Willigis Cathedral. At the southern corner, House Zum Frauenstein is a Baroque residential and commercial building from around 1730, with a hipped roof, corner bay window and balustrade reliefs. Reconstruction in 1953 restored the buildings at Leichhof 20 to 24 after their destruction in 1945.

A high-basin fountain from 1980 stands near the centre, showing five figures from Mainz’s history. A Roman legionary, bishop, patrician, architect and city-wall builder carry symbols of the city’s Roman origins, cathedral, civic life, building history, university and fortifications.