As we journey north along the Rhine, we come to Speyer (English translation ‘Spires’). We learn that it is one of the oldest towns in Germany, having been founded by the Romans. The site of the town was chosen as one of the few places between Basel & Mainz where the banks of the Rhine are high enough to avoid regular flooding but still easily accessible for the trade on the river.
For our [all too] brief visit, we follow a path through parklands from the Rhine, arriving at a rather grand square in front of the cathedral. Facing us is the impressive facade of a school.
The pedestrian mall we stroll along seems relatively new, perhaps explained by periods of destruction and decline during various wars, many of them religious! In the 17th century, Speyer took the side of the Protestants, in spite of many strong connections with, and visits from, Popes.
Cafe Hindenburg conjures up interesting mental images.
Not sure what this fellow is up to, but his perch looks a bit slippery!
The site of the Speyer Cathedral dates from the 4th Century, while the Romanesque building was begun in the 11th Century. Like the town itself, the Cathedral suffered many lootings and sustained serious damage, as a consequence of which, a major restoration was begun in 1957. In 1981, it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Listing as “a major monument of Romanesque art in the German Empire”.
No fewer than eight former Kings and Emperors (11th & 12 century) are buried in the crypt of the Cathedral.
As we leave towards the river, we encounter these fine characters, presumably a modern memorial to the eight Kings and Emperors buried in the Cathedral. It is interesting that they face the departing visitor, rather than greeting us as we arrive.
