This is the greatest piece of architecture that I have personally experienced. The Mariendom or Kaiserdom zu Speyer is the largest Romanesque structure in the world and has inspired such impressive works as St. Vitus in Prague. But the true power of this project perhaps comes from its history.
Eight German emperors are buried here. Because Speyer is located near the French and Swiss borders, it has seen many occupations and destroying armies march through. Most tragically its Jewish synagogue, one of the largest in Europe, was destroyed by the Nazis and all the Jews were slaughtered. The Protest movement was officially started in Speyer. The Diet of Speyer was brutally crushed but a new Protestant Church stands near the Speyer dom today, always challenging it.
I could literally feel how this building affected the people. The people’s history of hardship, compassionate liberalism, and the optimism is enshrined in the sandstone edifice. Since its conception in the eleventh century, it has stood prominantly on the river at the end axis of the Fussgangerzon mainstreet, with a large plaza in front and comfortable park behind. City-wide celebrations, religious worship, civic events, it all happens here. It isn’t well known, but I would say it is one of the most important buildings in Europe.
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(Matthew Black– flickr/creative commons license
