I have to say I was slightly disappointed by the Cathedral in Speyer. I had quiet high expectations of it as it is regarded as one of the finest Romanesque Cathedrals in Europe and this is a style I have bit of a fondness for. Whilst it certainly was an impressive bulk I didn't really feel any sense of awe, even upon entering the huge interior of the church.

That said it was worthy of the trip from nearby Heidelberg. The exterior of the church was impressive and dominates the city. The main drag of Maximillianstraβe leads straight to its main entrance and the body of the cathedral is surrounded by parkland, which means you can really enjoy the exterior without it being cramped by its surroundings. As Els has stated it really is worth making a donation to head down into the crypt. The red and yellow striped arches were very reminiscent of the Mezquita in Cordoba. Also walking up the steps level with the altar really gives a great impression of the massive size of the cathedral.

Speyer itself was a nice town and had a nice Christmas market when we visited, whilst the cathedral did not really match my expectations the façade is impressive and worthy of a trip if you are in the area.