Mainz was founded in 13/12 BC by a Roman commander Drusus and was already during Hildegard of Bingen’s time the cultic and cultural as well as economic centre of the Middle Rhine area. Due to the affiliation of her places of work on the Disibodenberg, the Rupertsberg and in Eibingen to the Mainz Archbishopric, Hildegard had contact to the Archbishops of Mainz and other members of the Mainz clergy. She was also connected with the town through her brother Hugo, who was documented in Mainz as Canon in 1152 and as a cathedral choirmaster between 1156 and 1163. Amongst the Archbishops Hildegard had contact with, Henry I of Mainz (1142-1153), who essentially contributed to her recognition as prophet and introduced the „case Hildegard“ to the Pope in 1147/1148, played the most important role. There are two certificates by his successor Anorld of Selenhofen (1153-1160) of 1158 that legally secure the foundation of her monastery and regulate her ownership. In 1178/1179, near the end of her life, Hildegard had a conflict with the Prelates of Mainz who governed the Archbishopric during the absence of the Archbishop Christian of Buch (1167-1183). The conflict led to the placement of the interdict on her monastery which was only lifted after Hildegard’s appeal to the Archbishop.

There are still buildings preserved today that had already defined the townscape during Hildegard’s visits. Primarily, the Mainz Cathedral has to be mentioned, whose eastern chancel and great nave already existed then and were just finished. The former Cathedral Church of St. Johannis, whose structure still contains parts of a wall from Carolingian times, was probably also visited by the Rupertsberg Abbess, whereas the church has been remodelled several times up to the present day. The same can be said for the former Collegiate Church of St. Stephan from where a Canon was sent to Hildegard in 1176/1177 in order to support her. The building founded by Archbishop Willigis of Mainz was remodelled to a Gothic hall church between 1267 and 1340. The monastery in Altmünster however, the Abbess of which Hildegard was in contact with, does no longer exist. It was rebuilt at another place in the Early Baroque style in the 17th century.