Schillerplatz in Mainz is one of the central and historically significant squares in the city. Already in Roman times, this area was located in the inner-city area of the Roman Mogontiacum and served as a market place from the Middle Ages onwards. Today, Schillerplatz is surrounded by several baroque and rococo noble courts, including the Osteiner Hof, the Bassenheimer Hof, the Erthaler Hof and the Schönborner Hof.
One of the most famous sights on Schillerplatz is the Carnival Fountain. This fountain, which was built in 1967, is almost nine metres high and features over 200 bronze figures representing the spirits and myths of the Mainz carnival. The fountain is divided into three levels that symbolise everyday life, the carnival season and the pursuit of freedom.
Another important monument on the square is the Schiller Monument, which was built in 1862 in honour of the poet Friedrich Schiller. Since 1982, the carnival campaign has been opened on November 11th of each year from the balcony of the Osteiner Hof, making Schillerplatz a central location of the Mainz carnival.