About Us
The twinning arrangement between Chichester and Speyer developed over a few years, culminating in two signing ceremonies: in Speyer in December 2022, then in Chichester in March 2023. Both cities welcomed each other with enthusiasm, and a Chichester-based Friends of Speyer emerged.
Friends of Speyer aims to foster and promote links with Speyer and act as a conduit for activities and initiatives in the areas of Business, Education, Sport and culture, and Tourism (BEST).
About Speyer
Speyer is located on the left bank of the River Rhine, between Karlsruhe and Mannheim, and close to Worms and Frankfurt. With a population of 50,000, it is one of Germany’s oldest cities,
dating from the Roman era.
In the 11th-century cathedral are the tombs of Holy Roman Emperors and German royalty. In 1981, the cathedral was designated a UNESCO
World Heritage site. The city is also famous for the 1529 Protestation at Speyer, following the Lutheran Reformation.
Along with Mainz and Worms, Speyer was one of the most important Jewish communities in medieval northern Europe. The Jewish courtyard and subterranean baths, dating from 1104, are also UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Population
sq mi (Area)
ft (Elevation)
The city is famous for the Protestation at Speyer in 1529 where followers of Martin Luther protested against the city’s decision to renege on previous concessions made to the Lutherans three years earlier. The word Protestant originated from the incident; much later, between 1893–1904, the Gedächtniskirche (Memorial Church) was constructed in memory of the event. Another significant church, Dreifaltigkeitskirche (Trinity) was built in the early 1700s.
Speyer contains electrotechnical industries and an oil refinery. Manufacturing includes metal, machinery, aircraft, textiles and chemicals. Visited by over half a million visitors a year, the Technik Museum Speyer is a technology museum exhibiting aircraft, spacecraft, trains, cars and more or less anything that moves. It has a sister museum in Sinsheim, 40km away.
Continuing the theme of speed, and drawing comparisons with Goodwood, 12km away is Hockenheimring which, up until 2019, was one of Germany’s two Formula 1 racing circuits. Strangely, Germany hasn’t held an F1 Grand Prix since 2019, but Hockenheimring still hosts plenty of other races. Outdoor concerts too: Michael Jackson and Pink Floyd have performed there in the past, and AC/DC will do so this July.
The city is adjacent to the Pfalz, Germany’s second-largest wine producing area, and the world’s oldest bottle of wine dating to between 325–350 AD can be found at the city’s Historical Museum. Former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, whose favourite tipple was a sweet local Riesling, is buried in a small cemetery next to the Cathedral.
There is a carving of a pretzel above the main door of the Cathedral. Dating back to 1910, Speyer’s Brezelfest (Pretzel Festival) takes place every July, and inevitably includes plenty of beer, a funfair, fireworks
and a parade on the Sunday with about 100 bands, clubs and floats. Ring any bells? It sounds very much like Chichester’s Gala Day or yore, currently undergoing a revival.
Did you know?
Chichester and Speyer are both twinned with Chartres and Ravenna.
The original Roman name for Speyer is
Noviomagus (meaning ‘new market’), as it was for Chichester.
Speyer’s famous cathedral was consecrated in 1062, making it just a few years older than Chichester’s own cathedral, founded in 1075
Chichester and Speyer also share in common
motor sport (Goodwood Racing Circuit and
Hockenheimring), and the wine industry.
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