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The ruin of Drachenfels Castle is one of the impressive stops on the Palatinate Forest Trail, Palatinate
One of the many highlights on a city tour of Speyer: the cathedral, Palatinate
Even after all these years, your experienced, enthusiastic city guide is just as excited by this view as you are. Standing in front of the west façade, your group listens in eagerly as, with sweeping arm movements, he shares his extensive knowledge about the largest Romanesque cathedral in the world. What an impressive building Speyer Cathedral is! You follow carefully as he tells you about the construction, destruction and subsequent rebuilding phases of the mighty church, and cast your gaze upwards in awe. You hold up your hand to try and block out the blazing sunshine peeking out from behind Speyer Cathedral at this time in the morning. You look up from the spacious cathedral square to the two 65-metre west towers and although you cannot really fathom the true scale of the building from here, it is still very impressive from this vantage point. It is hardly surprising that this milestone of Romanesque architecture was added to the list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1981.
You take your companion by the hand and follow the city guide as he walks through the main portal. Your gaze wanders over the shimmering red sandstone façade, spotting more and more details you could not see from a distance, including the six artfully chiselled patron saints watching over the cathedral from their perch above the portal. The nearer you come to the entrance of the main hall, the more clearly you recognise the mastery in the design of the entrance door. With fascination in his voice, your guide explains about the six tons of bronze in the door panels and the relief motifs depicting the entire sacred history of the bible. You look forward to stepping through the doors and admiring the large main organ – maybe the organist will be practising and you can enjoy the cathedral’s magnificent acoustics.
Breathtaking view inside Speyer Cathedral, Palatinate
Speyer Cathedral is the largest preserved Romanesque church in the world, Palatinate
Next on the agenda after the cathedral is a visit to the Jewish quarter. The historic collection of buildings, consisting of the remains of the synagogue and the well-preserved baths known as the mikveh, form the medieval heart of the Jewish quarter in Speyer. At that time, the city, along with Worms and Mainz, was one of the most important communities, and the three cities are now also on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites as the ShUM Cities.
But before you both head over to the memorial, you take a little time out in a cosy café near the cathedral. It feels good to chat for a while after so many inspiring cultural impressions and watch the world go by on the cathedral square. This juxtaposition of high culture and everyday life makes Speyer the perfect blend of new knowledge and relaxation for you.
A short break in a cosy café near the cathedral, Palatinate
