Cathedral · Germany · Restored

Speyer Cathedral

Speyer Cathedral is a large Romanesque imperial cathedral in Speyer, Germany, dedicated to St Mary and St Stephen. Begun in the 11th century and markedly enlarged around 1090–1106, it is a triple-aisled vaulted basilica of red sandstone with multiple towers and an encircling dwarf gallery.

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Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

First raised

1080

Its prime

1106

Today

Restored

As it stood in 1106

What Speyer Cathedral looked like in its prime.

A long, triple-aisled basilica built of warm red sandstone, with a massive rectangular westwork pierced by three large round-arched portals and a circular (rose) window above. The nave is covered by a sequence of groin-vaulted square bays supported by alternating broad piers with engaged shafts (the double-bay system). The building has several tall, square towers with steep, pitched roofs and a prominent central tower over the crossing; the apse is ringed by an arcaded dwarf gallery beneath the roofline. Overall silhouette is horizontal and monumental, spanning a very large paved forecourt.

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9 places to explore in 1106.

The record describes 9 distinct spots at Speyer Cathedral — including 6 interiors: narthex / entrance area inside the westwork, central nave under groin vaults, north side aisle and arcade and more. Create your own photoreal reconstruction and walk through every one — more scenes means more photos, more angles and more of the immersive experience.

Forecourt facing the westworkMain west portals and façade sculpture bandingNarthex / entrance area inside the westworkCentral nave under groin vaultsNorth side aisle and arcadeCrossing beneath the central towerChoir and apse interior with imperial gravesExterior of the east end and dwarf galleryCrypt and lower-level spaces

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