Speyer, Germany

 

 

Eight Kings Landmark

True to the promise of river cruising, reaching the heart of Speyer from the port requires no bus or boat.  A guided morning stroll through a riverside park brought us to Des Fährmanns Traum, a 1987 statue by G.G. Zeuner of eight German kings themselves being guided to the Rhine by a ferryman, and it served as a memorable landmark between the ship and city.

 

Medieval City Wall of Speyer

  As it turns out, eight German kings are interned in Speyer Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that grabbed our attention as soon as we first entered the ancient city wall. 

 

Four of these kings, part of the Salian dynasty, were crowned Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire, ruling the empire between 1027 and 1125. 

 

Historic Gate by Speyer Imperial Cathedral

In 1030, Conrad II, the first of this line of Salian emperors, began building Speyer Catherdral, which during his rule became the largest church in Christendom.  In short, Speyer was probably the most important city in Germany both politically and religiously during that era.

In 1074, Emperor Henry IV approved the plan of the Bishop of Speyer to resettle Jews, who were fleeing from persecution by those seeking to purify Christendom in Mainz and Worms, to a district within Speyer.  Our guide had a key to admit us to the ruins of the Jewish Courtyard, where we could still see remnants of baths which would lead to new persecution.

 

Ruins of Jewish District Baths

 The family values of education, hard work, helping each other and Old Testament morality allowed Jewish communities to repeatedly rise from persecution to become successful, making them a scapegoat target when hard times came. Part of their rituals involved bathing, which helped protect them from the plague with hygiene.  Ignorant mobs, however, interpreted the situation as Jews causing others to suffer the plague.

 

Old Gate on Maximilianstraße

The evil Nazi holocaust, which brought the Jewish population in Speyer to zero in 1940, was the worst episode, but throughout history, beginning before the Romans, the Jews have been outcasts to some extent.  It is why re-establishing a home for the Jews in Israel after WWII was necessary and justified.

From the Jewish District, we continued onto Maximilianstraße (Maximilian Street), a wide thoroughfare lined with shops, cafes and civic buildings, both historic and modern, leading to the Old Gate from the centre ville to the suburbs. 

 

 

 

Trinity Church Interior

 

Our guide shared stories as we walked through the town and a few buildings, including the beautiful Trinity Church which has a more impressive interior than the Speyer Cathedral.



Trinity Church



Speyer Catherdral Interior

Speyer Cathedral

 

In the Square in front of the Imperial Cathedral is the Domnapf is a massive stone chalice that looked like a big, dry fountain, but it's not. When a new bishop is elected, the Domnapf is filled in celebration with wine "for the entire nation." While not literally true, it does hold 1580 litres of wine. Our guide jocularly added that while the wine is free, the individual cups must be purchased, so the church can make some money on the deal.



Hits and History Meet on Maximilianstraße

After touring the church interior, Julie and I headed back to the shopping area where she bought a colorful scarf at one of the well-stocked shops.  While lots of attractive sidewalk cafes beckoned, again we headed back to the River Queen, where we enjoyed a delicious lunch.  I think this was the day I first tried their dark beer, the name of which eludes me.  I can say that all the off-menu specialty beers that rotated through were great, much better than the standard Beck's that was always available.

With a full stomach and a minimal buzz, I again checked out a Uniworld bicycle, which despite its small tires rode very easily at decent speeds. 



Gedächtniskirche der Protestation

I went through the Old Gate at the end of Maximilianstraße into the suburbs near a college before heading back into town.  True to its name, Speyer has lots of churches with impressive spires.  I stopped at a couple more, and Gedächtniskirche der Protestation (Protestant Memorial Church) turned out to be the most dazzling, with amazing stained glass inside.

Gedächtniskirche der Protestation Stained Glass

My Trusty Bike Outside Technic Museum

I rode past the Technic Museum and could see jumbo jets, fighters, helicopters and other large exhibits from outside the perimeter.  Back on the ship, those who paid for admission said there were lots of amazing cars and other mechanical stuff to investigate.  I had already spent most of my free time, however, so I rode back to the ship, and I confess that I was a little lost until I saw the stature of the eight emperors. 

Museum Introductory View

There was an optional afternoon tour of Heidelberg for a fee, but I don't think I would have enjoyed it more than biking through Speyer to see what I could see.



Suburb Housing Near College