Speyer is a historic Cathedral city of approximately 50,000 inhabitants which is located within the Federal State of Rhineland-Palatinate in south-western Germany. It stands on the western banks of the River Rhine approximately 25 kilometres south of Mannheim and only 20 kilometres south-west of Heidelberg. It is one of the oldest cities on the River Rhine and is able to trace its history as far back as 10 B.C. when the Romans built their first military camp at the site of an earlier Celtic settlement. Later, after the city was destroyed by the Huns, Speyer was re-built becoming an important centre as it was made an Episcopal See in the 4th century and a Free Imperial City of the Holy Roman Empire during the 13th century. Today this historic centre is home to a compact and attractive Old Town and is well known for its dominating Imperial Cathedral of Speyer, or the Kaiserdom zu Speyer and the Historical Museum of the Palatinate.
During 1689 most of the city of Speyer was burnt to the ground by French troops leaving behind little of the past although the city has retained parts of its medieval towers, walls and gates, and after re-building, the Cathedral. The 11th century, four-towered, triple –aisled, vaulted red-sandstone Cathedral of Speyer, is one of the greatest Romanesque buildings in Germany and is today a U.N.E.S.C.O. World Heritage Site. The Cathedral is one of the most important Romanesque monuments from the Holy Roman Empire and is the resting place of eight German Kings and Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire. Located to the east of the Cathedral can be found the Heath Tower, or Heidenturmchen, a fortified tower and part of the medieval city walls, and to the west can be found the 12th century Old Town Gate, or Alteportel, which at 55 metres is one of the highest and most important gates in Germany. It is within this gate that a permanent exhibition exists that documents the history of the fortifications, including the Old Gate, of Speyer. The tower can also be climbed, and those willing to do so will enjoy great views over the city!! Speyer was made an Imperial Free City in 1294 and the old city fortifications, which originally consisted of 68 wall and gate towers, are a relic of this time. The city enjoyed great renown as the seat of the Imperial Chamber of Justice of the Holy Roman Empire from 1527 to 1689 and grew to become the fifth most important city on the River Rhine. Speyer also became a significant religious centre when in 1529 the Diet of Speyer united followers of Martin Luther in a protest against the Catholic Church of Rome. This action is commonly considered to be the birth of Protestantism.
One of Speyers’ most popular visitor’s attractions is the Historical Museum of the Palatinate, or Speyer Museum which stands directly next to the Cathedral. This museum contains 300,000 artifacts and focuses on the pre-Roman, Roman and Middle Ages of the city. The Speyer Museum also includes a Wine Museum which shows how the Romans produced their wine and contains the world’s oldest bottle of wine from 300 A.D., and the Cathedral Treasure Chamber. Other attractions worth seeing include the Jewish Courtyard and the ruins of the old Jewish Quarter which stand behind the Speyer Museum. These are all that is left of an important Jewish culture that existed along the Rhine. There is also the 18th century Trinity Church which is one of the most richly adorned and decorated churches along the Rhine, the 18th century City Hall which is a good example of Baroque architecture and the Old Mint, which was built in 1748 to be the new trading centre at the Marketplace but today has taken on other uses!! For the artists amongst us there is also the Feuerbach House, which houses a small number of original paintings and drawings of Anselm Feuerbach who was born in Speyer in 1829, and the Purrmann House which contains over 60 of the painters works including oils, drawings, prints and sculptures – Hans Marsilius Purrmann was born in Speyer in 1880.
Speyer is also well known for being the home of the Museum of Technology which contains over 3,000 exhibits including real life aircraft, a 20 tonne U Boat, full size locomotives, fire-engines, vintage, classic and Formula One racing cars. Adjacent to the Technical Museum is the Marine Museum which contains a collection of model ships and a 46 metre submarine. This complex also provides a 3D IMAX Theatre!!
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