The seat of the Rhineland-Palatinate State Parliament in Mainz is the Deutschhaus, a historic building steeped in an unusually rich history as a place of democratic traditions.
The palace was originally built between 1729 and 1740 as the residence of the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order. Just a few decades later, the building gained historical significance for the German democratic movement: In 1793, the Mainz Republic, the first democratic experiment on German soil, was proclaimed from the balcony of the Deutschhaus.
In the following centuries, the building served a variety of purposes, including as Napoleon's residence, as a palace for the Grand Duchy of Hesse, and as the venue for the First German Industrial Exhibition in 1842.
The building was destroyed down to its outer walls during World War II, particularly during the major bombing raid on Mainz in February 1945. Following the state parliament's decision in 1950 to relocate from Koblenz to Mainz, the Deutschhaus was quickly rebuilt and has served as the parliament building of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate since May 18, 1951, the beginning of the second legislative period.
Most recently, the Deutschhaus underwent extensive renovation and modernization between 2015 and 2021. The historic exterior facade was reconstructed and the interior, particularly the plenary hall, was redesigned to meet the demands of modern parliamentary operations while preserving the building's historical dignity.
Today, the Deutschhaus is located on the Platz der Mainzer Republik (Place of the Mainz Republic), a name that, since 2013, on the occasion of the 220th anniversary of the Mainz Republic, has commemorated the site's deep roots in German democratic history. The Deutschhaus is complemented by the nearby House of Representatives, which houses offices and meeting rooms for the members of parliament and parliamentary groups.