European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 15, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                I Germany Mainz s old town area known As the Kirsch Garten District is filled with half timbered houses. Gity Bridges Gap Between new and old a statue of Yohann Gutenburg the town s most famous citizen above. A statue known As the roman emperor decorates a House built in 1653 right. By Jon Connor staff writer one place that Bridges the ancient world with the new is Mainz Germany located 23 Miles Southwest of Frankfurt Mainz was founded 2,000 years ago on the Banks of the Rhine River ". ,. Y the City now with a population of 185,000, is the state capital of Rheinland Pfalz. It has All the elements of any modern City with its University shopping areas museums Plush hotels and Flower bedecked Parks but Mainz is More than this. It s a City that began under the roman Empire evolved into a place of major religious significance and survived Allied bombing in world War ii because of this it has enough historical remnants to give today s citizens and visitors a True sense of its Rich past " Mainz was the Home of Johann Gutenberg the Man who forever changed the history of Europe with his 15th Century invention of a printing press using movable letters. The Impact of this was profound since the first Book he printed was the Bible something that had previously been available Only As expensive Handwritten copies. On display at the Gutenberg museum Are several world famous 42-line-per-Page bibles that Gutenberg s invention produced Between 1452 and 1455. As a tribute to its most famous citizen the museum puts on live demonstrations in an exact replication of Gutenberg s workshop several times daily. The multilevel museum founded in 1900, also displays the development of the written word from ancient Babylon to the present. Medieval manuscripts artwork printing presses and the evolution of typesetting machines present a unique look at the history of written communication. The museum is open tuesday through saturday to a.m.-6 ., and sunday 10a.rn.-1  It is closed during january and on Public holidays. Telephone 06131/122-64044 for More information. Continued on p