7 Best Sights in Speyer, The Pfalz and Rhine Terrace

Speyer was an important medieval Jewish cultural center. Behind the Palatinate Historical Museum is the Jewish quarter, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2021, where you'll find synagogue remains from 1104; Germany's oldest (circa 1126) ritual baths, the 33-foot-deep Mikwe; and the Museum SchPIRA, which displays objects such as gravestones and coins from the Middle Ages.

The Kaiserdom, one of the finest Romanesque cathedrals in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage site, conveys the pomp and majesty of the early Holy Roman emperors. It was built between 1030 and 1061 by the emperors Konrad II, Henry III, and Henry IV. The last replaced the flat ceiling with groin vaults in the late 11th century, an innovative feat in its day. A restoration program in the 1950s returned the building to almost exactly its original condition. The four towers symbolize the four seasons and the idea that the power of the empire extends in all four directions. Look up as you enter the nearly 100-foot-high portal; it's richly carved with mythical creatures. In contrast to Gothic cathedrals, whose walls are supported externally by flying buttresses, allowing for a minimum of masonry and a maximum of light, at Speyer the columns supporting the roof are massive. You can climb the 304 steps of the southwest tower (access Apr.–Oct.) to reach the viewing platform, from where there is a splendid panorama. Another highlight is the Krypta which lies beneath the chancel. It's the largest crypt in Germany and is strikingly beautiful in its simplicity. Four emperors, four kings, and three empresses are buried here.

Ascend the Altpörtel, the impressive town gate, for a grand view of Maximilianstrasse, the now busy shopping street that once led kings and emperors straight to the cathedral.

Opposite the cathedral, the museum houses the Domschatz (Cathedral Treasury). Other collections chronicle the art and cultural history of Speyer and the Pfalz from the Stone Age to modern times. Don't miss the Golden Hat of Schifferstadt, a Bronze Age headdress used in religious ceremonies dating back to approximately 1300 BC. The Wine Museum houses the world's oldest bottle of wine, which is still liquid and dates to circa AD 300. The giant 35-foot-long wooden winepress from 1727 is also worth a look.

Seasonal boat tours depart from just outside the Sea Life Aquarium at noon, 2, and 4. The trip lasts about 1½ hours and offers a unique look at Speyer's old harbor and its fascinating network of rivers.

Enjoy a peaceful tour of the Speyer harbor and its surrounding river network on a ship built for 200 passengers. Homemade cakes and drinks are available on board. Tuesday through Friday, 1½-hour tours depart at 1 and 3, on Saturday at 1:30, 3, and 5 and on Sunday at 1, 3, and 5. The pickup and drop-off point is on the Leinpfad.