Speyer, Cathedral Interior

In 1529, Speyer (Spires) was the location of the Diet of Spires, a formal deliberative assembly at which Martin Luther’s “protesters” acquired the name Protestants. The impressive belfries of the Speyer Cathedral, founded in 1030 AD, can be seen from miles away, and are particularly impressive when seen from the bridge over the Rhein River.

How do we describe these captivating, exceptional buildings? Words like Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, and Rococo describe specific architecture styles, but we have yet to discover the words needed to define the beauty. The Speyer Cathedral is really an impressive, phenomenal, unique structure. There is a touch of modern in this ancient architectural jewel, a large battery-driven floor sweeper was keeping the floor clean in a manner not envisioned by the original builders.

Just a couple of blocks down the main street from the cathedral, small discreet Golden Arches guarantee clean rest-rooms are readily available.