Speyer, Germany
Speyer is a town of 50,343 people in Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany, founded in 150.
Why visit Speyer
Townapedia lists 171 museums and landmarks, 26 parks and trails, 181 places to eat, 13 places to stay and 9 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include IMAX Dome Filmtheater, Kinder- und Jugendtheater, Feuerbachhaus and Historisches Museum der Pfalz.
Weather in Speyer
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Speyer
Speyer (German: [ˈʃpaɪɐ] , older spelling Speier; Palatine German: Schbaija), historically known in English as Spires, is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate in the western part of the Federal Republic of Germany with approximately 50,000 inhabitants. Located on the left bank of the river Rhine, Speyer lies 25 km (16 miles) south of Ludwigshafen and Mannheim, and 21 km (13 miles) south-west of Heidelberg. Founded by the Romans as a fortified town on the northeastern frontier of their empire, it is one of Germany's oldest cities. Speyer Cathedral, a number of other churches, and the Altpörtel ("old gate") dominate the Speyer landscape.
From the Wikipedia article Speyer (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Travel tips from other travellers: Speyer on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Photos of Speyer
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Things to do9
Aussichtsplattform Dom-Südturm
Scenic view · 0.9 km
Tickets für die Aussichtsplatform sind im Dom-Besucherzentrum erhältlich. 304 Stufen zum Aufstieg (90 zum Kaisersaal + 214 zum Turm)
Apr-Oct Mo-Sa 10:00-17:00, Apr-Oct Su 12:00-17:00; Nov-Mar off
Museums and landmarks171
Historisches Museum der Pfalz
Museum · 1.0 km
7 Große Pfaffengasse, Speyer
Mo 10:00-18:00 "in der Regel nur während der Schulferien in...
Museum SchPIRA
Museum · 0.8 km
20 Kleine Pfaffengasse, Speyer
Nov-Mar Tu-Su 10:00-16:00; Apr-Oct 10:00-17:00
Technik Museum Speyer
Museum · 1.6 km
1 Am Technik Museum, Speyer
Mo-Fr 09:00-18:00; Sa,Su 09:00-19:00; PH 09:00-19:00
Kloster St. Magdalena
Monument and historic site · Roman Catholic · 0.8 km
Altpörtel
Monument and historic site
Apr-Oct: Mo-Fr 10:00-12:00, 14:00-16:00; Sa-Su 10:00-17:00
Archäologisches Schaufenster
Museum
13 Gilgenstraße, Speyer
Sa,Su 10:00-17:00
Elwedritsche-Museum Speyer
Museum
3 Antoniengasse, Speyer
closed
159 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds26
bademaxx - Das Sport- und Erlebnisbad in Speyer
Sports field and stadium · 1.6 km
3 Geibstraße, Speyer
14 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes181
Domhof Hausbrauerei
Restaurant · Regional · 0.8 km
6 Große Himmelsgasse, Speyer
Mo 11:30-23:00; Tu-Fr 11:30-24:00; Sa 11:00-24:00; Su 11:00-23:00;...
Alter Hammer
Bar and pub · Regional · 1.5 km
1 c Leinpfad, Speyer
Mo-Sa 11:00-22:00; Su,PH 11:00-21:00
Gasthaus zum Halbmond
Restaurant · Regional · 0.9 km
4 Nikolausgasse, Speyer
11:30-14:00,17:00-22:30; We off
Wilhelmi's Brotkorb
Bakery
1 Karmeliterstraße, Speyer
Mo-Fr 06:00-18:00; Sa 06:00-17:00; Su 08:00-17:00
8x asiatische Fusionsküche & Sushi
Restaurant · Vietnamese · 0.6 km
21a Schützenstraße, Speyer
Tu-Su 11:30-15:00,17:00-22:30
Alte Pasta Pasta
Restaurant · Italian · 0.6 km
21A Schützenstraße, Speyer
Mo-Su 11:30-14:30,18:00-23:30
Cafe Hindenburg
Cafe · Ice Cream, Pastry, Cake, Coffee Shop · 0.6 km
91 Maximilianstraße, Speyer
09:00-19:00
169 more on the map.
History
In 10 BC, the first Roman military camp is established (situated between the town hall and the episcopal palace), guarding the northeast frontier of the Roman Empire against Germanic barbarian tribes across the river to the east in Germania.
In AD 150, the town appears as Noviomagus on the world map of the Greek geographer Ptolemy.
In 346, a Western Christian / Roman Catholic bishop for the town is mentioned for the first time.
7th century, the town is re-established, and named Spira after a nearby Frankish settlement.
In 1030, emperor Conrad II starts the construction of Speyer Cathedral, today one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Also in the 11th century, the first city wall was built.
In 1076, emperor Henry IV of the Holy Roman Empire embarks from Speyer, his favourite town, for Canossa.
In 1084, establishment of the first Jewish community in Speyer.
In 1096, as Count Emicho's Crusader army on their journey in the First Crusade (also known as the People's Crusade) to the Muslim-occupied Holy Land, raged across the Rhineland slaughtering innocent Jewish communities in the Rhineland massacres. Speyer's Bishop John, with the local leader Yekutiel ben Moses, manages to secure the community's members inside the episcopal palace and later leads them to even stronger fortifications outside the town. It was ruled that anyone harming a Jew would have his hands chopped off.
Read more of the history
In 1294, the Roman Catholic bishop lost most of his previous rights, and from now on Speyer is a Free Imperial Town of the Holy Roman Empire.
In 1349, the Jewish community of Speyer was wiped out in a persecution pogrom.
Between 1527 and 1689, Speyer was the seat of the Imperial Chamber Court.
During the 16th century Protestant Reformation era in 1526, at the first Diet of Speyer (1526) interim toleration of Lutheran teaching and worship is decreed by Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.
In 1529, at the second Diet of Speyer (1529) the Evangelical Lutheran states and supporting princes / electors of the Holy Roman Empire protest against the anti-Reformation resolutions (19 April 1529 Protestation at Speyer, hence the beginnings of the use of the descriptive term "Protestantism" / "Protestants").
In 1635, Marshal of France Urbain de Maillé-Brézé, together with Jacques Nompar de Caumont, duc de La Force, conquers Heidelberg and Speyer at the head of the Army of Germany.
In 1689, the town was heavily damaged by invading Royal French troops.
Between 1792 and 1814, Speyer during the long period of the French Revolutionary Wars and subsequent Napoleonic Wars is under French occupation and jurisdiction under the First French Republic and following First French Empire of Napoleon Bonaparte (Emperor Napoleon I), continuing earlier during the 18th century, by Royal French troops of the Kingdom of France, after the Battle of Speyerbach, a century before in 1703 during the War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714).
In 1816, (following the fall of Napoleon), Speyer becomes the seat of administration of the Palatinate and of the government of the Rhine District of the Kingdom of Bavaria (later called the Bavarian Palatinate), and remains so for 129 years until the end of World War II in 1945.
In 1861, at the Speyer Cathedral, Edward VII was introduced to his future wife Alexandra by Crown Princess Victoria.
Between 1883 and 1904, the Memorial Church was built in remembrance of the Protestation of 1529 at the Diet of Speyer.
In 1947, during post-World War II western Allied Powers-occupied Germany, the State Academy of Administrative Science was founded (later renamed German University of Administrative Sciences Speyer).
In 1990, Speyer celebrates its 2000th anniversary, on the eve of a reunified Federal Republic of Germany, following the ebbing close of the Cold War.
From the History section of Speyer on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Notable people from Speyer
Johann Joachim BecherGerman physicist, scientific alchemist, pioneer of chemistry, scholar, courtier, and adventurerPhoto: Wolfgang Philipp Kilian, Public domain
Anselm FeuerbachGerman painter (1829–1880)Photo: Anselm Feuerbach, Public domain
Gabriel BielGerman theologian and philosopherPhoto: Kagbub123, CC0
Karl-Adolf HollidtGerman general (1891–1985)Photo: Unknown author Unknown author or not provided, Public domain
Sebastian LangkampGerman footballerPhoto: Silesia711, CC BY-SA 4.0
Christian ReifGerman long jumperPhoto: Eckhard Pecher ( Arcimboldo ), CC BY 2.5
Carl Jakob Adolf Christian GerhardtGerman physician (1833–1902)Photo: Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain
Georg von SpeyerGerman conquistadorPhoto: Hieronymus Köler, Public domain
Egon VIII of Fürstenberg-HeiligenbergCount von Fürstenberg-Heiligenberg, Bavarian Field-marshal and commander in the Thirty Years' War (1588-1635)Photo: Johann Siebmacher, Public domain- Conrad IIHoly Roman Emperor
- Helmut BantzWest German gymnast (1921–2004)
- Hans PurrmannGerman art collector and painter (1880–1966)
Born in Speyer, according to Wikidata (CC0). Each name links to its Wikipedia article.
Where to stay13
Churches and places of worship31
Shopping42
Gas and EV charging40
Schools, colleges and libraries51
Bibliothek und Medienzentrale der Evangelischen Kirche der Pfalz (BMZ Speyer)
Library · 0.6 km
4 Roßmarktstraße, Speyer
Healthcare15
Psychiatrische Tagesklinik Speyer - Pfalzklinikum für Psychiatrie und Neurologie
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.6 km
17a Ludwigstraße, Speyer
Diakonissen-Stiftungs-Krankenhaus Speyer (Haus Hilgardstraße)
Hospital · 1.1 km
33 Paul-Egell-Straße, Speyer
Map of Speyer
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Getting there and nearby towns
City-Airport Mannheim (MHG) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 18 km away.
- Dudenhofen 3 km west, about 3 min by car
- Altlußheim 5 km southeast, about 5 min by car
- Oberhausen-Rheinhausen 6 km southeast, about 6 min by car
- Neulußheim 7 km southeast, about 7 min by car
- Schifferstadt 8 km northwest, about 8 min by car
- Hockenheim 9 km east, about 9 min by car
- Waldsee 8 km north, about 8 min by car
- Ketsch 9 km northeast, about 9 min by car
- Waghäusel 10 km southeast, about 10 min by car
- Philippsburg 10 km south, about 10 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Towns near Speyer
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Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- Mapillary (see each image): photos
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Speyerer Dom Dach, Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Stolpersteine in Speyer 66, Anastasiya Lvova, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Stolpersteine in Speyer 67, Anastasiya Lvova, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Stolpersteine in Speyer 65, Anastasiya Lvova, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Stolpersteine in Speyer 41, Anastasiya Lvova, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Stolpersteine in Speyer 68, Anastasiya Lvova, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Stolpersteine in Speyer 64, Anastasiya Lvova, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Stolpersteine in Speyer 69, Anastasiya Lvova, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Stolpersteine in Speyer 63, Anastasiya Lvova, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Stolpersteine in Speyer 61, Anastasiya Lvova, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Stolpersteine in Speyer 62, Anastasiya Lvova, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Speyer odyssey 2017 synagoge, Kmtextor, CC BY 4.0
- 67346 Speyer, Germany - panoramio (6), Yılmaz Kilim, CC BY 3.0
- Amtsgericht-Speyer 1, Kmtextor, CC BY 4.0
- Amtsgericht-Speyer 2, Kmtextor, CC BY 4.0
- Speyer Alter-Friedhof Kapelle-T 20240330 102700, Rigorius, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Speyer Alter Frdhf Kapelle Oelberggruppe 50 IMG 20230709 1011, Karlunun, CC0
- Speyer Alter-Friedhof Kapelle-T 20240330 102223, Rigorius, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Adenauerpark Speyer 2020-08-29 5, Z thomas, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2026-06-17 Kirchtürme in Speyer (D500-97602M) by Achim Lammerts, Achim Lammerts (Syntaxys), CC BY-SA 4.0
- Grab Helmut Kohl, Speyer August 2022, Steffen Wurzel, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2025-11-28 Speyer Kohl Grab, Berlin-Spree-Redakteur, CC BY 4.0
- Speyer Alter Frdhf Amalie Feuerbach IMG 20230709 1017, Karlunun, CC0
- Speyer Kleine Greifengasse 1 2017, Oliver Orschiedt, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Speyer, Wormser Landstraße mit Kirche St. Bernhard 20120123, P170, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Stolpersteine in Speyer 60, Anastasiya Lvova, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Gilgenstrasse 19 Speyer, Manuae, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Speyer Große Himmelsgasse 4 002 2021 02 26, Friedrich Haag, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Speyer Gedächtniskirche 02, atreyu, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Aerial image of the Speyer Cathedral (view from the southwest) (cropped), Carsten Steger, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 00 3187 Turmuhr der Altpörtel, W. Bulach, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 170924-Speyer-05, BlueBreezeWiki, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Feuerbachhaus in Speyer, Manuae, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 170716-Speyer-07, BlueBreezeWiki, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Technik Museum Speyer - geo.hlipp.de - 647, Sebastian Ballard, CC BY-SA 2.0
- 170624-Speyer-09, BlueBreezeWiki, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Josephskirche Speyer mit Gedaechtniskirche, Immanuel Giel, Public domain
- 170716-Speyer-02, BlueBreezeWiki, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Speyer, Museum der Pfalz, Altera levatur, CC0
- SpeyerSt.MagdalenaChurch, Sundar1, CC BY-SA 3.0
- SpeyerHeiliggeistkirche, Sundar1, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Jewish Courtyard 3 Speyer, Nemracc, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Archäologisches Schaufenster - panoramio, Immanuel Giel, CC BY 3.0
- Wilhelmsbau am Technik-Museum Speyer, Batke 22:40, 25. Feb. 2009 (CET), CC BY-SA 3.0
- 20111127Speyer29, AnRo0002, CC0
- Altpoertel Speyer West, -- Immanuel Giel 11:11, 7 November 2005 (UTC), Public domain
- Domnapf Speyer, Immanuel Giel 12:21, 7 November 2005 (UTC), Public domain
- SpeyererDom vonSuedWesten, Joachim Köhler, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Gedaechtniskirche Speyer Dach, Immanuel Giel, Public domain
- Dreifaltigkeitskirche Speyer, Immanuel Giel, Public domain
- Niederbronn CouventTrèsSaintSauveur 01, © Ralph Hammann - Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Pfalzklinik Klingenmuenster, Rudolf Wild, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kleine Pfaffengasse 21 22 Speyer, Manuae, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Feuerbachpark speyer 2011, Kmtextor, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, changchun1, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, derlipper, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, rausk, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, changchun1, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, mfa, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, changchun1, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, changchun1, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, derlipper, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, wegavision, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, changchun1, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, sarant, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, teddy73, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, changchun1, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, rausk, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, changchun1, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, changchun1, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, derlipper, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, changchun1, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, miguel_andrade, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, derlipper, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, moriro1310, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, derlipper, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, wegavision, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, teddy73, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street-level photo, pic_nick, CC BY-SA 4.0
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