Last Sunday evening we went to Speyer. It was very lucky that we did as we caught the last day of one of the loveliest Christmas Markets I've ever been to. Tip: Speyer is the only place in Germany that my resident expert knows of which has a Christmas market until the Epiphany (otherwise known as the Three King's Day, or January 6th). It is 25kms south of Mannheim and home to about 50 000 people. The centre of town is a bit of a walk from the train station, only an easy 10 minute stroll, and the trains go to and from Mannheim very frequently. When you get to the centre of town you are struck by a gorgeous old city centre based around the Speyer Dom (The Speyer Cathedral). Speyer was founded in Roman times and is considered to be one of the oldest cities in Germany. The Speyer Dom is famous for a few reasons. Religious historians would recognise it as the home of the Imperial Diet of Speyer. On April 19, 1529, six princes and representatives of 14 Imperial Free Cities petitioned the Imperial Diet at Speyer against an imperial ban against Martin Luther, as well as the proscription of his works and teachings, and called for the unhindered spread of the evangelical faith. This was unthinkable only 8 years previous in 1521, when at the Diet of Worms (the trial of Martin Luther at a court held in the town of Worms, near Mainz) it was declared that Luther was an outlaw and promoting his teachings to be a crime for which one could quite literally lose one's head. The Speyer Dom still has the basic form it was given in 1033AD and is considered to be one of most beautiful Romanesque churches in the world. In 1981 it was listed as a world-heritage protected site by UNESCO. Entry to the Cathedral is free, but entry to the crypt, where the old emperors are buried is 3.40 Euro and well worth it. There isn't terribly much else in Speyer, but the Cathedral is amazing and well worth the trip. And if you happen to catch yourself with an empty half an hour before the next train runs, then treat yourself to a beer at the Hausbrauerei Domhof (Cathedral Craft Brewery). My resident expert, super-taster extraordinaire and actual, literal, professional beer brewer has officially named the Hausbrauerei Domhof as the Best Craft Brewery in all of Germany. That's right folks, you heard it here first.
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