Kurfürstliches Schloss (Electoral Palace), Mainz

The Electoral Palace in Mainz (Kurfürstliches Schloss zu Mainz) is a former residence of the Prince-elector and Archbishop of Mainz, representing one of Germany's significant Renaissance structures. Construction began in 1627 under Archbishop Georg Friedrich von Greiffenklau. However, due to disruptions from the Thirty Years' War and the War of the Grand Alliance, its completion was delayed. The Rhine wing, initially started in 1627, was only completed in 1678.

The original design is unknown, but it was likely intended as a four-winged building, similar to Schloss Johannisberg’s 1604 renovations. Construction of the north wing began in 1687 and finished by 1752, with interiors furnished gradually. Later expansions, particularly under Archbishops Johann Friedrich Karl von Ostein and Friedrich Karl Josef von Erthal, occurred before political shifts during the Napoleonic period moved the archbishopric's seat to Regensburg. War delays and competition for resources, including the destruction of Lustschloss Favorite in 1793, hindered progress. The palace was neglected after the last Elector’s expulsion but restored in 1827 by Hesse-Darmstadt.

During World War II, the palace was heavily damaged in the 1945 air raid, leaving only the exterior walls. It was restored between 1948 and 1949 and reopened for public use by the end of 1949. The palace served as the main venue for Mainz's Carnival activities until the opening of Rheingold Hall in 1968.

Architecturally, the palace is among the last examples of German Renaissance design. Its northern wing, built later, remains true to this style, with richly ornamented exteriors, particularly around the windows. The palace once housed the Grand Staircase, a Baroque masterpiece by Balthasar Neumann, removed during the French occupation. Today, the east wing hosts the Roman-Germanic Central Museum (Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum), while the north wing contains the hall used for the renowned Mainz carnival broadcast, Mainz remains Mainz, as it sings and laughs (Mainz bleibt Mainz, wie es singt und lacht).

Managed by Congress Centrum Mainz, the Electoral Palace offers a variety of spaces for events, accommodating up to 1,700 guests across seven halls and smaller rooms.