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Speyer, Germany

Speyer
Speyer: Maximilianstraße with cathedral in the background
Speyer: Maximilianstraße with cathedral in the background
Coat of arms of Speyer
Coat of arms
Speyer   is located in Germany
Speyer
Speyer
Coordinates: 49°19′10″N 8°25′52″E / 49.31944°N 8.43111°E / 49.31944; 8.43111Coordinates: 49°19′10″N 8°25′52″E / 49.31944°N 8.43111°E / 49.31944; 8.43111
Country Germany
State Rhineland-Palatinate
District Urban district
Government
 • Lord Mayor Hansjörg Eger (CDU)
Area
 • Total 42.58 km2 (16.44 sq mi)
Elevation 92 m (302 ft)
Population (2015-12-31)
 • Total 50,284
 • Density 1,200/km2 (3,100/sq mi)
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes 67346
Dialling codes 06232
Vehicle registration SP
Website www.speyer.de
Imperial Town of Speyer
Reichsstadt Speyer
Free Imperial City of the Holy Roman Empire
1294–1792
Capital Speyer
Languages Palatine German
Government Republic
Historical era Middle Ages
 •  Founded ca 10 BC
 •  Gained Reichsfreiheit 1294
 •  Speyer Diet confirms Edict of Worms 19 April 1529
 •  Protestation at Speyer 20 April 1529
 •  Town razed by France 1688
 •  Annexed by France 1792
 •  Annexed to Bavaria 1816 1792
 •  Rhenish Palatinate merged into Rheinland-Pfalz 10 August 1946
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Bishopric of Speyer
Mont-Tonnerre

Speyer (German pronunciation: [ˈʃpaɪ̯ɐ], older spelling Speier, known as Spire in French and formerly as Spires in English) is a town in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, with approximately 50,000 inhabitants. Located beside the river Rhine, Speyer is 25 km (16 miles) south of Ludwigshafen and Mannheim. Founded by the Romans, it is one of Germany's oldest cities. The first known names were Noviomagus and Civitas Nemetum, after the Teutonic tribe, Nemetes, settled in the area. Around AD 500 the name Spira first appeared in written documents and, as well as the French, this is still reflected in the names Spira and Espira used in Italian and Spanish. The city's name may be the origin of the Ashkenazi Jewish name, Shapiro, and its variants.

Speyer is dominated by the Speyer Cathedral, a number of churches and the Altpörtel (old gate). In the cathedral, beneath the high altar, are the tombs of eight Holy Roman emperors and German kings.

The city is famous for the 1529 Protestation at Speyer.

Since 1923 the mayor was a Lord Mayor.

Speyer is twinned with:


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