In 1839 an article on Mainz in
The Penny Cyclopædia stated that Mainz was one of the strongest fortresses in Europe, and a chief bulwark of Germany against France. At the
Congress of Vienna, Mainz was assigned to the
Louis, Grand-Duke of Hesse-Darmstadt, but it was decided that, as a fortress, it should belong to the German Confederation, with a garrison of Austrian, Prussian, and Hessian troops. This garrison in time of peace consisted of 6,000 men. The military governor, who retained his post five years, was alternately an Austrian and a Prussian general. A criticism of the fortress was that it was too large, as it required for its defence a garrison of 30,000 men. The fortress of Mainz was connected, by a bridge over the Rhine, with the strongly fortified village of
Kastel. The extent of the works, which were much enlarged by the French while the city was in their possession, including the work called the
Weisenauer Schanze or
Fort Weisenau, but exclusive of Kastel and of the small redoubt, was two and a half
leagues. Among the principal works were the
citadel, with the
Eichelstein, and that called the
Hauptstein, an extremely strong work projecting beyond all the rest, on an eminence called the
Linsenberg. Kastel, which at that time was united with Mainz as an outwork, had very extensive fortifications, which consisted of four strong forts besides the strongly fortified island of
Petersau, including which latter the works were of greater extent than even those of Mainz itself. The inner works consisted of 14 principal and 13 smaller bastions. On the land side there were four great gates with double drawbridges, and toward the river several more gates. The Rhine runs from south to north, and the
Main from east to west. About a mile above the junction of the two rivers was the village of
Kostheim on the Main, and a little farther up a bridge of boats, defended by a strong
tête-de-pont. ==1864==