Isis- und Mater Magna-Heiligtum

The Isis- und Mater Magna-Heiligtum takes you beneath the Römerpassage in Mainz, where Roman worship survives beside modern shops. Its sanctuary honoured Isis and Magna Mater, two goddesses whose cults reached Mainz through the Roman army.

Built in the first century, the complex remained in use into the third century and changed through several reconstructions. Inscriptions suggest connections with the Flavian imperial house, while the surrounding city formed part of Roman Mogontiacum above the Rhine valley. Isis came from Egypt, and Magna Mater represented the Anatolian goddess Kybele through Greek tradition. The sanctuary later stood within Mainz’s city walls before worship ended and the building was abandoned.

Construction work rediscovered the remains in 1999, along with a Hallstatt-period burial site beneath the Roman layers. Excavation findings, preserved walls and a multimedia presentation now occupy a museum in the passage’s basement. Wheelchair access makes this glimpse into Mainz’s Roman religious life available to visitors with different mobility needs.