Speyer on a Sunday

Speyer is a lovely little town just northwest of Karlsruhe. It had two main attractions for us: first, it had an airport and, second, it had a cathedral which contained the tombs of four emperors and four German kings (guess who was interested in what...). So, we journeyed to Speyer via the fast train (28") on Sunday, 29 April. 

The Speyer Cathedral (Dom) is the largest Romanesque building in Germany. It was consecrated in the 11th century and has been restored after being damaged by fire and war.  

Here is a view of the Dom from the right side. As usual, pictures taken with my iPhone do not do it justice.

On either side of the entrance to the Dom were these beautiful monuments commemorating the German kings who are buried in the crypt. Below are two views of the inside of the Dom.

Below the Dom is the oldest crypt in Germany, which was built during the Middle Ages. It consists of four rooms, seven altars, and the tombs of kings and emperors dating back to 1039. 

Here are the tombs of the emperors and their wives; ten tombs in all.

After spending several hours in the Dom, we had lunch here in one  of the outdoor cafes. 

At the other end of the square from the Dom is the entrance to Speyer, guarded by this tower. 

Speyer has a marvelous Museum of Technology, which is housed in an former 1913 aircraft hangar. Lots of vintage aircraft, boats, and submarines are on display on the grounds, which cover many acres. We opted not to go into the museum itself, but rather visit the airport, which was just a short distance away. 

Art was thrilled to meet and talk with a young man who was taking flying lessons at the Speyer Airport. We sat outside at this cafe and watched the planes, had a local brew, and enjoyed the sunshine.