Speyer Cathedral Germany: Religious Architectural Marvel
Speyer doesn’t sound very significant from tourism point of view, except that it has Dom zu Speyer, a huge Romanesque cathedral dating back from 10th century that is listed in UNESCO World Heritage site. And since we were traversing through upper Rhine-Neckar valley while targeting to reach Heidelberg from Strasbourg, we decided NOT to miss Speyer Dom.
Speyer is a neat and clean city with everything in its place and had no sign of disorderliness at all; this was so prominently bold that I had to make a mention of it here. History too seems to have been smooth, with no destruction from World Wars therefore retains much of its original material and architectural style despite 1000 years of existence.
DOM ZU SPEYER – SPEYER CATHEDRAL
Speyer Cathedral History
Yes, as expected we saw the church spires from far, the 4 bell towers of the giant Kaiserdom dominated the skyline. Dom zu Speyer, a basilica with four towers and two domes.
King Conrad II built this Cathedral in 1025 AD. He wished the cathedral would be his last resting place. His grandson Henry IV expanded the cathedral in 1090 AD. The Cathedral and rest of Speyer town was destroyed by French troops under Louis XIV in 17th century.
It was restored in 18th century but sadly it was destroyed again in Napoleonic Wars in 19th century. The ruin of the cathedral was temporarily used as an army hospital. Good times returned soon, in 1815, it was rebuilt under King Ludwig I of Bavaria. The cathedral was given one more facelift in 1957. In 1981, it made it to the UNESCO World Heritage list
4 bell towers of the giant Kaiserdom Speyer
Speyer Cathedral Architecture
As per UNESCO mention, Speyer Cathedral is the biggest Romanesque church in the world and Speyer crypt, consecrated in 1041, is the biggest hall of the Romanesque era. Till today it stands as a monumental structure, with a length of about 134m and a width of around 37m at the transept. I got to see it all; the sheer size and historical weight of Speyer Cathedral create an awe-inspiring atmosphere. Amazing place that allows to connect with centuries of history and spirituality.
The imposing west facade of the cathedral features intricately designed portals, ornate sculptures, and a stunning rose window.
Entrance arch of Cathedral of Speyer
The plain interior of the Speyer Cathedral is striking! It is such a contrast to other cathedrals I have seen. It is devoid of bright and attractive colors, paintings or stained glass windows! In spite of it being destroyed several times the cathedral was always built back to its original architecture.
Very few sculptures adorn the huge interior, making it look more vacant. The architectural details are interesting – Speyer Cathedral floor plan looks like a crucifix, 12 arches denoting 12 apostles, vaults denoting 6 days of creation and more.
The cathedral here is so refreshing very different from the usual gothic structures I had been seeing. The cathedral has the pride of place in the main square of Speyer facing down the main street of the city, an imposing sight!
The thick heavy columns, a gallery that encircles the whole building, interiors enhanced in 19th century with neo-Romanesque decorative paintings and large historical panels.
Interior of Speyer Cathedral Germany
Colorful Frescoes of Cathedral of Speyer
Though huge and vacant the frescoes on the nave, on either sides as soon as you enter, above the arches are still in the original location, in the nave, between the pillars, either sides of the wall as soon as you enter, between the pillars, above the arches catch your attention. But for their bright colors the place would have been drab. The entire cathedral was extensively painted by Johann Baptist Schraudolph in mid 19th century under King Ludwig I of Bavaria.
During the 1957 restoration work of the cathedral these frescoes had been protected using a special technique. The major frescoes were lifted off the walls and put back after the restoration by mounting them on custom-made platforms which had the same curvature as before.
The major frescoes, those retrieved from the ceiling have been preserved the Emperor’s Hall in the upper floor of the Cathedral. These frescoes are of Blessed Mother Mary, life of patron saint St. Stephen of Speyer, St. Bernard of Clairvaux in his documented visit to Speyer in 1146.
The largest fresco, the one on the dome was of Coronation of Virgin Mary is more than 80sqm. You can view the unremoved frescoes, over the arches the nave, from Emperor’s Hall.
Speyer Cathedral Interior
Dom Zu Speyer Tower
If time permits you take the spiralling stairs to the viewpoint 60 m high. The last stretch of the 304 steps has to be completed nonstop with no place to pause. You will be rewarded with mesmerizing views of Speyer Town.
Speyr Cathedral Crypt and Emperors’ Tombs
The crypt of Speyer Cathedral (comprises of 4 rooms )is the largest Romanesque crypt in the world. From early 11th to late 13th century this Dom zu Speyer crypt was the preferred burial site of all royals of Salian, Habsburg and Nassauer dynasties and bishops of the region. It was the most important burial place in Germany then.
The oldest royal grave here is of the founder of this cathedral, Emperor Conrad II of 1039 CE, and his wife Empress Gisela (1043 CE). The oldest Bishop grave is of Bishop Reginbald II of Dillingen ( 1039 CE), who is one of the architects of the Cathedral.
Where is Speyer Dom located?
Speyer Cathedral is located in the Rhineland-Palatinate region of Germany.
Address: Domplatz, 67346 Speyer, Germany
Coordinates: 49.3176045395883, 8.4422315
How to reach Speyer Cathedral?
Speyer Cathedral is located in the city of Speyer 100 km from Frankfurt, in southwestern Germany. It is easily accessible by various modes of transportation:
By Train: The cathedral is a short walk away, about 10 to 15 mins, from Speyer’s main train station, Speyer Hauptbahnhof. It is well connected from major cities like Frankfurt, Mannheim, or Karlsruhe.
By Car: We reached by car. If you’re driving, use a GPS navigation system or google mapping app to reach Speyer. There are parking facilities available near the cathedral.
By Air: Nearest major airport is Frankfurt Airport (FRA), which is well-connected to various international destinations. Take a train or rent a car from Frankfurt to reach Speyer.
By Public Transport: Speyer is connected to regional bus services that link it to nearby towns and cities.
What are the Speyer Cathedral Timings?
Cathedral timings: Mon-Sat: 9:00AM to 7:00PM; Sun: 11:30AM to 5:30PM
Emperor’s Hall & Tower: Open only from April to October
What are the ticket costs to enter the Speyer Cathedral?
Speyer Cathedral entry ticket: Free
Speyer Cathedral Audio Guide: 8.50 €
Speyer Cathedral Crypt & Emperors Tombs: 3.80 €
Speyer Cathedral Emperor’s Hall & Tower: 6 €
Combined ticket of all 3 above: 12 €
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wow! great place with beautiful clicks…..
Beautiful intro of a new place to me with great pictures !!
Gorgeous! Love these old architectural gems.
A hidden gem, huh?!
Germany has beautiful Churches. I have seen one in Ulm. Very beautiful country.
It is magnificent. Nice clicks:-)
As usual amazing capture Indrani 🙂
Beautiful pictures 🙂
Nice Photos
You always take us to a new place and a new era… The shots are beautiful too.
What a magnificent cathedral,.. loved the capture 🙂
Interesting Post, Indrani.. Excellent Photography!
A very different kind of Cathedral this is!
Lovely architecture, Indrani. And I’ve a request for you: Please do write a article, sometime, on the points that make a place significant from tourism point of view. I’d love to know the mindset of tourists and tourism industry. 🙂
Lovely Pics!
Very nice.
Just one word, it is beautiful place.
Have been to Frankfort / minz & wisbaden but never heard about speyer.
Thanks for sharing.
great pics, as always
Yes for a change its nice to see a different type of a cathedral
I like the copper roofs and trim. I'm glad you didn't miss this!
It's a lovely place. In my experience the less popular places are more charming.
beautiful!!! those blue spires really stand out against the stone..
Germany showsits prowess, lovely shots.
So beautiful, Indra!
Love the cathedral…
Warm greetings from Holland,
Anna
Beautiful shots of the cathedral. It is impressive.
Beautiful!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.
I like green roofs. 🙂
Majestic Cathedral! Nice captures.
Indrani, it is a beautiful cathedral. I love the spires and the towers. Lovely photos!
What amazing and gorgeous shots of this wonderful cathedral.
you seem to attract gorgeous churches wherever you go.
So beautiful photos.
For a city that has lasted over 2,000 years, has been conquered by many since the Romans took it over, it is now in good repair although in many intervening years there has been massive destruction. It certainly has a rich history and one of the great romanesque cathedrals
What a grand and beautiful church!
What an incredible place!
Very impressive! Beautifully captured
I'm glad you decided to stop to see this magnificent cathedral. It is very different from others you've visited.
Welcome Indrani!
Very interesting post. Great pictures.
Regards:)
Lucia
What a magnificent cathedral, Indrani! I love your capture of the inside! Wonderful! Hope you have a great week!
it is beautiful!