Thursday through Thursday, January 1-15, 2026—Starting Off Without A Bang

Posted on January 15, 2026 by dunngone

In the dead of the night, 2026 crept in silently and without fanfare. New Year’s Day was quiet around the Dunn household. Several of us diehard pickleball players gathered at the courts for a few really fun games. The rest of the day was nonchalant, though we did eat black eyed peas and cabbage.

Church and social activities, medical appointments, pickleball, and golf filled out the rest of the early January week through Thursday.

On Friday, January 9, we began another “adventure,” though it was pretty uneventful. Be it experience, a short trip, our planned lack of activity, or a combination of the three, we didn’t begin packing until the morning of our departure. The approximately 5 hour drive to Nacogdoches, Texas, was uneventful. Nacogdoches was our overnight stop. The Hampton Inn and Suites was one of the nicest hotels in which we’ve stayed. Early to bed, early to rise saw us up quite early. The hotel room coffee had little taste. After a quick hotel breakfast, we began the short drive through Houston to the Port of Galveston. The route brought back memories of our many trips to and from the Rio Grande Valley where we wintered for nine years.

We made the short three-hour drive to the Galveston port Saturday morning, dropped off a single suitcase, parked, and caught the shuttle to the Royal Caribbean cruise boarding area. Boarding was efficient and quick, and lunch was quite good. The suitcase arrived a couple hours later. As per usual, Kay organized clothes and toiletries, and unpacked our CPAPs. We were surprised to find only two AC receptacles in the entire room. A request was made for two extension cords (for our CPAPS) and they were delivered shortly afterwards. For the rest of the day, we read and lazed about the rest of the day. Dinner in the main dining room was good.

Sunday was a “sea day”; thus, no ports of call. We were up early, and Kay procured latte from the coffee shop three floors below; it was very good. A stroll about the ship revealed three pickleball courts on the 13th level. Despite windy and occasional mist conditions, we sat and observed new players trying out the game for the first time. The ship’s pickleball “coach” was advising, and actually didn’t know much at all about the game. Kay and I offered to help, and enjoyed watching the “newbies” enjoy the game. After the introduction/instruction period Kay began playing and played a bunch while I only played a couple of games in slip-on shoes. Most of the players in this group had brought their own paddles and were primed for competitive pickleball. We hung around the pickleball courts till lunch.

Lunch was good, mostly veggies and protein, followed by reading and napping in the afternoon. Dinner was in the main dining room and frankly, was not too good. After dinner, we attended the first of two musical shows on the cruise, and it was entertaining.

The ship continued sailing southeast from Galveston on Monday. Up early, we enjoyed another latte before before actively beginning the day. Regrettably, it misted most of the morning negating any outdoor activities. Continuing southeasterly, and then around the Cancun peninsula, the ship reached the day’s port of call, Costa Maya, Mexico, just north of Belize City, Belize. We remained onboard, and hung around the adult pool area and read as there are lots and lots of kids, mostly under the age of 12, aboard, as well as large family units. They occupied most of the space in the larger open pool and spa area. After last night’s blasé meal, we bypassed the main dining room—the nightly theme for dinner was Caribbean—and snacked in the buffet-based dining area. Entertainment for the evening was an ice skating show, “Ice Under The Big Top”. The show was really good.

After a short sail during the night, the ship docked Tuesday morning at Cozumel, Mexico, an island just south of Cancun. It rained lightly most of the day until late afternoon so there were no pickleball games. Towards mid-afternoon, the drizzle lightened enough for us to venture into the cruise port shopping area in Cozumel, mainly to buy amoxicillin and Z-pacs (cheap and without a prescription). Sun broke through the clouds late afternoon, and we hung out and read at the crowded adult pool area. Only three and a half days in, we’re already tired of the ship’s food, so we again snacked for our noon and evening meals. The night’s entertainment featured a standup comedian which we bypassed.

Wednesday was another “sea day”. It was once again cloudy, and windy, too. The big event today, at least for us, was the cruise’s pickleball competition. There were several good teams, and some newbies, competing. Neither Kay nor I competed; I didn’t have appropriate shoes. Many of the matches in the double elimination competition were close, but the best team did win, though it wasn’t by much. We attended the ice skating show, “Ice Under The Big Top” again, and it was just as good. Royal Caribbean tries to use as many Ukrainian skaters as possible, and some had been Olympic participants. After that, we hung around the pool area and killed time.

Thursday was disembarkation day, and it was without incident as we only had one suitcase and handled it by ourselves. We were in the car at 8:30 AM and headed north, arriving home about 4:30 PM. The cruise was good, not great, but at least we used some of our Royal Caribbean credit!

Tuesday through Wednesday, December 16-31, 2025—Whew, It’s Finally Over

Posted on December 31, 2025 by dunngone

Perhaps because we’re not spending the winter away from home this year, it seems that the current holiday season was unusually long and intense. It’s possible that social activities occurred every day or evening from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve, and those who know me really well know that I’m not a social person. Kay, however, was “busier” than ever. Let’s see: there was Bubbly Lunch and Bingo, Village Big Band’s Cool Yule Concert, Hand and Foot Card night, The Book Club December meeting,

Christmas party at pickleball friends house, Court Sports (tennis and pickleball) Christmas Party, Christ of the Hills UMC Christmas Cantata, Christmas celebration with Kay’s family, Communion and Candlelights service at Christ of the Hills UMC, Christmas Eve dinner at the Morris’, and another Hand and Foot Card night. New Year’s Eve ended at 9:00 PM for us. Christmas gift giving was very low key for Kay and me; we have everything we need and virtually everything we want.

Despite all the extra activities, we did manage to play pickleball almost every day, and I played golf on the two Mondays and a non-holiday Thursday.

I only managed to “shoot” (i.e. photograph) four days during the sixteen days. On December 22, 2025, a Tufted Titmouse and a Carolina Chickadee were the only birds willing to pose.

December 23, 2025, yielded a a Carolina Chickadee and Tufted Titmouse, plus a Red-bellied Woodpecker and squirrel.

A Carolina Wren, Pileated Woodpecker, and Dark-eyed Junco were photographed on December 24.

And, an American Crow and Pileated Woodpecker perched on a far away tree long enough to be photographed on December 27, 2025.

The year 2025 was a good one, and we were blessed to not have any major illnesses or accidents. We sadly lost several friends, mostly unexpected. We look forward to 2026, and have few clues as to what the year will bring..However, it’s unlikely that we’ll be able to maintain the same pace as 2025!

Sunday, July 13, 2025—End of the Journey

Posted on July 13, 2025 by dunngone

Fortunately, the first plane on the trip home didn’t leave Geneva until about lunchtime, allowing us a fairly leisurely morning to enjoy breakfast and pack. The first leg of the trip was from Geneva to London, and went off without a hitch, recognizing, of course, that Heathrow is always a bit of mess.

And even the leg from Heathrow to Chicago wasn’t too bad except for the lack of leg room in the plane, especially when the passenger in front kept his seat reclined the whole way—to which he is entitled even if a bit inconsiderate.

And then the third leg of the trip from Chicago to Little Rock was okay except for sitting on the tarmac in Little Rock for over 30 minutes waiting for a gate to open (despite it being 10:30 PM and only a couple other planes at the airport. After picking up our luggage, we were transported to the parking lot, and arrived home about midnight.

Overall, the trip was a good one, despite my being sick for over two weeks. The Switzerland extension was definitely our favorite part of the trip. It is our opinion that Viking had slipped a bit since our last three trips on their ships; our room was not serviced as well, and the general tone of the river cruise was not as upbeat. However, the food was excellent, the excursions were great (though not as good as we had formerly experienced), and the staff friendly. It’s probably our last trip using Viking, not so much because of the aforementioned conditions, but we don’t plan to travel internationally as much as in the past. And, if we do cruise there are several much less expensive alternatives.

As of this writing we don’t have any more long trips planned this year, and will enjoy the heat and humidity of Arkansas for the remainder of the summer, and hopefully, nice fall weather for golf and pickleball.

Friday and Saturday, July 11-12, 2025–Zermatt to Geneva

Posted on July 12, 2025 by dunngone

After sleep, packing, and breakfast, we left the hotel and walked to the train station

Along the way, we enjoyed the streets and old buildings of Zermatt.

Two unique architectural features were stone tiled roofing and straddle stones for building foundations.

Stone tile roofs, particularly those made from slate or schist, are a traditional and characteristic feature of Swiss architecture, especially in the Swiss Alps. These roofs are known for their durability, ability to withstand heavy snowfall, and their integration with the surrounding landscape. The stones are typically sourced locally and cut into flat pieces, then laid in overlapping layers on wooden beams.

Foundation straddle stones or stone slabs were used historically for structures like granaries in areas like Switzerland as foundations. These mushroom-shaped or tapered stone pillars lifted the building above ground level, making it all but impossible for rodents to climb up and into the structure. This foundation stones were used particularly for Swiss granaries.

We took the train from Zermatt to Tsushima, then bussed to Lausanne, Switzerland, for visit to the International Olympic museum (Lausanne is headquarters for the International Olympics.

Our guide, Eva, was a torch bearer for the Salt Lake City Games, and her torch is on display in the museum.

Other notable relics of past Olympics are on display.

From the International Olympic museum, we traveled to the Lavaux Vineyards Terraces for wine tasting and lunch. The Lavaux Vineyard Terraces, stretching for about 18 miles along the south-facing northern shores of Lake Geneva from the Chateau de Chillon to the eastern outskirts of Lausanne in the Vaud region, cover the lower slopes of the mountainside between the villages and the lake.

Although there is some evidence that vines were grown in the area in Roman times, the present vine terraces can be traced back to the 11th century, when Benedictine and Cistercian monasteries controlled the area. It is an outstanding example of a centuries-long interaction between people and their environment, developed to optimize local resources so as to produce a highly valued wine that has always been important to the economy. Since July 2007, Lavaux is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

From Lavaux we bussed to Geneva for the final days of our trip.

Geneva is the second-most populous city in Switzerland. It is situated in the southwest of the country, where the Rhone River exits Lake Geneva. It is a center for international diplomacy, hosts the highest number of international organizations in the world, including the headquarters of many agencies of the United Nations and the IRC and IFRC of the Red Cross.

It has been referred to as the world’s most compact metropolis and the “Peace Capital”. In the aftermath of World War I, it hosted the League of Nations. It was where the Geneva Conventions on humanitarian treatment in war were signed, and symbolized by the “Broken Chair”.

It shares a unique distinction with New York City, Basel, and Strasbourg as a city which serves as the headquarters of at least one critical international organization without being the capital of a country..

Our excursion included a bus tour of the diplomatic zone, a stop at the United Nations, drive-by of WHO and International Red Cross, a walking tour of old town and St. Peter Cathedral, and concluding with a boat ride in Lake Geneva.

Saint Pierre Cathedral is a historic church in Geneva.

It was originally a Roman Catholic cathedral but became a Calvanist Church in 1535.

It is known as the adopted home church of John Calvin, one of the leaders of the Protestant Reformation. Inside the church is a wooden chair used by Calvin.

This excursion concluded the sight-seeing portion of our trip. It has been wonderful, despite a persistent head cold for over two weeks.

Thursday, July 10, 2025– Gornergrat Tour and the Matterhorn, and Zermatt

Posted on July 10, 2025 by dunngone

After breakfast we met at the train station and caught a cogwheel railway through the adjacent Alps to Gornergrat. The top two photos below are from our hotel room window.

Opened in 1898, the Gornergrat cogwheel train is the world’s oldest electric mountain railway still in operation and has been built solely for tourist purposes. The 33-minute ride is incredibly scenic: the train offers a birds-eye view of Zermatt with the Matterhorn silhouette towering over it, lakes, forests, and numerous other peaks, valleys, and glaciers. From the top of Gornergrat, a mountain summit after which the railway is named, one can admire spectacular 360-degree views of Matterhorn and 29 other 4000-meter high peaks, as well as Gorner Glacier.

Along the way, the views of Matterhorn were near breathtaking. Never in my wildest imagination did I ever think I’d see this famous, spectacular mountain.

Gornergrat (10,285 feet) is a rocky ridge of the Pennine Alps, overlooking the Corner Glacier southeast of Zermatt.

At the top of Gornergrat, the views of several glaciers overpowered the surrounding landscape.

After loads of photos, Kay and I caught the cogwheel railcar and rode “down” to the first stop from the top, Station Rotenoden. At the stop an ensemble of people dressed in native costumes played music commonly associated with the Swiss Alps on Alpine horns and an accordion. Their appearance was at the entrance to an Alpine garden containing many plants in full bloom. This was also the “trailhead” where we began an almost 3 mile hike down the mountain and around a lake to the next “whistle stop”, Station Riffleberg. This was our favorite day of the entire trip.

Back at the the town of Zermatt, we made our way to the hotel, not realizing how tired we really were—and the twenty minute walk was mostly uphill.

As for Zermatt, it remains almost completely free of internal combustion vehicles—apart from the local police service which uses a Volkswagen car, and the refuse collection lorry. It can be reached by train only and electric vehicles are used locally.. These electric vehicles, mostly small trucks and vans, are plentiful and driven very fast in the narrow cobblestone streets. Along with bicycles everywhere, walkers must remain on alert at all times.

Wednesday, July 9, 2025–Zurich to Zermatt

Posted on July 9, 2025 by dunngone

Today’s post is all about travel from Zurich to Zermatt. We departed Zurich mid-morning Wednesday and traveled by bus to Chur.

We departed Zurich mid-morning Wednesday and traveled by bus to Chur. The scenery was magnificent.

Chur is an Alpine city in eastern Switzerland. It is Switzerland’s oldest city, dating back over 5,000 years. Winding streets in the car-free old town lead to the 13th-century, three-naved Cathedral of the Assumption. The Romanesque Cathedral was finished in 1272 after more than 100 years of construction.

We lunched at a cafe on the 5th floor atop a department store, Manor Chur, reminiscent of those in the “old” days of multistory department stores in Little Rock, Memphis, etc. Manor Chur provides a shopping experience for all the family; department store items, food, and the restaurant is all under one roof over an area of 86.000 square feet.

After lunch, we boarded the Glacier Express Railway in Chur for a panoramic journey to Zermatt. This was the highlight of the day. From Chur, the train follows the course of the Rhine through the gorge climbing slowly through alpine valleys. The train route slowly steepens to finally reach its summit, the Oberalp Pass (6,670 feet). From there the train continues is down and up journey, passing through several alpine villages before entering a lengthy tunnel. After the tunnel, the train follows the course of the Rhone River, and passes through more alpine villages before going through another spiral. After a steeper section the train finally arrives in Zermatt at 5,302 ft, after several hours of travel.

Aboard the Glacier Express, we were served adult beverages throughout the afternoon and a chicken curry based lunch which was quite good.

We arrived in Zermatt early in the evening, surprised to find that we were in the Viking group that had to walk 20 minutes to our hotel. We were quite disappointed as we expected better from Viking. Nevertheless, the walk was fine, and our hotel was 5-star rated and very nice indeed. In as much as it was near 9 pm, we unpacked enough to sleep and retired for the evening.

Zermatt is famed as a mountaineering and ski resort of the Swiss Alps. Until the mid-19th century, it was predominantly an agricultural community; the first and tragic ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865 was followed by a rush on the mountains surrounding the village, leading to the construction of many tourist facilities. The year-round population (as of December 2020) is 5,820, though there may be several times as many tourists in Zermatt at any one time. Much of the local economy is based on tourism, with about half of the jobs in town in hotels or restaurants and just under half of all apartments are vacation apartments. Just over one-third of the permanent population was born in the town, while another third moved to Zermatt from outside Switzerland.

Tuesday, July 8, 2025–Zurich Walking Tour and Boat Cruise

Posted on July 8, 2025 by dunngone

From Basel, we were transported to Zurich by bus. Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and is its economic and financial center. This city is in the north of the country.

Zurich is an upmarket banking city and the financial capital of Switzerland. It, therefore, comes as no surprise that it’s often labelled as the most expensive in the world, and we can personally attest to its expensive nature! Zurich is famous for luxurious lifestyles, high-end shopping, and fancy chocolates. However, despite its expense and extravagance, it is also ranked as one of the best cities to live in the world. Boasting highly urbanized districts that sit amidst historical and cultural areas, Zurich is also the biggest city in Switzerland. It is also extremely well situated. It sits right on Lake Zurich and has the waters of the River Limmat running right through it. And all this at the foot of the Swiss Alps.

The Old Town is Zurich’s tourist hub.

Zurich’s waterfront along the Limmat River is a beautiful and popular area, featuring the Limmatquai promenade with picturesque views and famous church towers.

The Fraumunster is a church in Zurich which was built on the remains of a former abbey for aristocratic women and which was founded in 853 by Louis the German for his daughter Hildegard. Fraumünster was once part of Fraumunster Abbey founded in A. D. 853. In 1272, the bones of the first two abbesses, Hildegard and Berta, were placed in the south wall of the church transept.

About 1300, someone painted a fresco above their resting place. Someone painted over the original mural which was uncovered in 1847. Franz Hegi made a watercolor copy of the original in 2006. Today, it belongs to the Evangelical Reformed Church of the canton of Zurich and is one of the four main churches of Zurich, the others being the Grossmunster, St. Peter’s, and Prediger churches.

The Grossmunster is a Romanesque-style Protestant church in Zurich. Its congregation forms part of the Evangelical Reformed Church of the Canton of Zurich. The core of the present building, near the banks of the Limmat, was constructed on the site of a Carolingian church, which was, according to legend, originally commissioned by Charlemagne. Construction of the present structure commenced around 1100 and it was inaugurated around 1220. The twin towers of the Grossmunster are regarded as perhaps the most recognized landmark in Zurich

The “green tower with clock” in Zurich refers to the clock tower of St. Peter’s Church. It’s a prominent landmark in Zurich, known for having the largest clock face in Europe. The tower itself is predominantly green, with a distinctive wooden roof covered in larch shingles.

Prediger is the last of the four main churches of the old town of Zurich. First built in 1231 AD as a Romanesque church of the then Dominican Predigerkloster, the Basilica was converted in the first half of the 14th century, the choir between 1308 and 1350 rebuilt, and for that time an unusual high bell tower was built, regarded as the highest Gothic edifice in Zürich.

I did not go on this excursion due to a significant head cold. All photos are by Kay.

Monday, July 7, 2025–Basel Highlights

Posted on July 7, 2025 by dunngone

Basel is located in the northwest of Switzerland in the border triangle between Germany, France and Switzerland. Basel is Switzerland’s third most populous city. The city on the Rhine is considered the country’s art and culture capital. Basel is a city with three official languages: French, German, and Italian.

Basel’s old town is filled with picturesque alleyways and over 200 fountains.

Highlights include the town hall and the cathedral. Basel Minster is a religious building in the Swiss city of Basel, originally a Roman Catholic cathedral and today a Reformed Protestant church.

The original cathedral was built between 1019 and 1500 in Romanesque and Gothic styles.

The Basel Town Hall is a 500-year-old building dominating the Marketplace. The Town Hall houses the meetings of the Cantonal Parliament as well as the Cantonal Government of the canton of Basel-Stadt.

Daniel Bernoulli, a famous mathematician and physicist was a native son of Basel. Bernoulli’s principle is a key concept in fluid dynamics that relates pressure, speed and height. The resulting Bernoulli Equation is often written as:

P + 1/2ρv² + ρgh = constant, where

Pressure (P): The force exerted by the fluid per unit area.

Velocity (v): The speed of the fluid.

Density (ρ): The mass of the fluid per unit volume.

Elevation (h): The height of the fluid above a reference point.

Gravity (g): The acceleration due to gravity.

The majority of my graduate work in engineering involved Bernoulli’s principle.

Guide and plaque honoring Daniel Bernoullil

We spent our “downtime” in a small plaza, Basel’s Petersplatz, watching cultural dances and children riding on the beautifully decorated, illuminated Frankfurt horse carousel. The antique carousel has a “horse” made by Peter Philip Schneider in Frankfurt, Germany, around the late 19th century. The horse is a rare, hand-carved and painted example from the golden age of carousels. It is a standing style carousel horse, intricately detailed and professionally restored.

Sunday, July 6, 2025–Strasbourg Highlights

Posted on July 6, 2025 by dunngone

Strasbourg is eastern France’s largest city in the historic region of Alsace. and the official seat of the European Parliament. The city has about 300,000 inhabitants; Strasbourg’s metropolitan area had a population of 860,744 in 2020, making it the eighth-largest metro area in France. Strasbourg is one of the de facto four main capitals of the European Union (alongside Brussels, Luxembourg, and Frankfurt), as it is the seat of several European institutions, such as the European Parliament, the Eurocorps and the European Omsbudsman of the European Union. Strasbourg is such a lovely city.

Together with Basel (Bank for International Settlements), Geneva (United Nations), The Hague (International Court of Justice), and New York City (United Nations World Headquarters), Strasbourg is among the few cities in the world that is not a national capital that hosts international organizations of the first order. Strasbourg’s historic city center, the Grand Island), was classified a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988. It is home to the largest Islamic place of worship in France, the Strasbourg Grand Mosque. It is also Albert Schweitzer’s hometown (see first photo below).

Strasbourg has become one of my favorite cities in the world, along with Prague, Paris, and San Francisco.

Friday, July 4, 2025–Mainz Walking Tour and Gutenberg Museum

Posted on July 4, 2025 by dunngone

Our walking tour of Mainz focused mainly on the Old Town and its many historic assets.

Mainz’s Old Town is a charming area known for its historic buildings, picturesque squares, and vibrant atmosphere. It features winding streets, half-timbered houses, baroque churches, and is a place where history and modern life intertwine. The Old Town also offers a variety of shops, restaurants, and wine taverns, making it a popular destination for both locals and tourists. The Old Town is the oldest part of Mainz, with a history dating back to Roman times. It boasts a mix of architectural styles, including half-timbered, baroque, and rococo façades, creating a unique and picturesque streetscape. The Wood Tower is a mediaeval tower in Mainz, Germany, with the Iron Tower and the Alexander Tower one of three remaining towers from the city walls. Its current Gothic appearance dates to the early 15th century. It is so named because wood used to be piled next to it on the bank of the Rhine.

Many smiling locals were enjoying coffee and pastries at the several outdoor cafes in the Market Square. Market Square is Mainz’s most popular square and is dominated by the iconic Mainz Cathedral. The square became a popular trading place when the cathedral was built in 975. Traditionally, merchants offered wool, cloth, fur, baked goods, and fruit and vegetables. Products were set out in large baskets on the floor. The Renaissance market fountain was built in 1526. The water fountain was an important source of fresh water for nearby residents. In 1889, a Madonna figure was added to the fountain. Most of the houses in the square date to the 18th century. World War II bombs heavily damaged Market Square. In 1975, Mainz celebrated the thousandth anniversary of the cathedral and committed to re-designing and rebuilding the square. Many of the buildings were rebuilt with historical facades. The market takes place Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and we were fortunate enough to have visited on a Friday. Also, as an aside, Market Square hosts a vibrant Christmas Market during the Christmas holiday season.

Mainz also has some quirky traffic lights.

The magnificent Mainz Cathedral, or St. Martin’s Cathedral, dominates the skyline and is a major attraction in the Old Town. It is situated near the historical centre and market square.

This Roman Catholic cathedral church has stood witness to more than 1000 years of history and is the site of the Episcopal see of the Bishop of Mainz. Together with the cathedrals of Worms and Speyer, the Mainz Dom represents the summit of Romanesque cathedral architecture seen in Germany. Predominantly Romanesque in style, the cathedral has however had later additions to it, making it a wonderful blend of architectural styles from various eras. It is a beautiful experience to see the six red sandstone towers of the St. Martin’s Cathedral rise above the Mainz cityscape with half-timbered houses. To give you an idea about the historic importance of this cathedral, it is enough to say that through the centuries, seven coronations were hosted here. During the World War II, almost 80% of Mainz was destroyed by bombing, but the cathedral had stood unharmed. It is almost completely surrounded by buildings. The largest dome shows a blend of Roman and Baroque styles and beneath it is the transept separating the west chancel from the nave and smaller east chancel. Many supporting pillars in the nave are adorned with carved and painted statues.

The Gutenberg Museum is one of the oldest museums of printing in the world, located opposite the cathedral in the old part of Mainz, Germany. It is named after Johannes Gutenberg, a native son of Mainz and the inventor of printing from movable metal type in Western Europe and focuses on him and his inventions. The museum’s collection includes two original Gutenberg Bibles that date back to the middle of the 15th century and are widely regarded as some of the finest books of all time.

The reconstruction of Gutenberg’s workshop is another main attraction, and our guide demonstrated what the printing process would have been like in Gutenberg’s day.

The Collegiate Church of St. Stephan, known in German as St. Stephan zu Mainz, is a Gothic hall collegiate church located in the German city of Mainz. It is known for windows created by Marc Chagall. St. Stephan was originally built in 990 at the order of Archbishop Willigis, who also initiated the building of Mainz Cathedral. The current church building dates from the late medieval era; construction of the main area of the church began in about 1267 and was completed in 1340. St. Stephan was heavily damaged in the bombing of Mainz in World War II. The Chagall choir windows in St. Stephan are unique in Germany. Between 1978 and his death in 1985, Russian Jewish artist Marc Chagall created nine stained-glass windows of scriptural figures in luminous blue. The figures depict scenes from the Old Testament, demonstrating the commonalities across Christian and Jewish traditions. Chagall intended his work to be a contribution to Jewish-German reconciliation, made all the more poignant by the fact that Chagall himself fled France under Nazi occupation.

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