Speyer - Cathedral

Speyer gained importance, when the Salian dynasty entered the political stage with Holy Roman Emperor Conrad II. He commissioned the construction of of this church, known as the "Imperial Cathedral of Speyer". It was planned to be the largest cathedral worldwide. A display of the Emperor´s power, that was - before the "Investiture Controversy" - secular and ecclesiastical.

This "blueprint" from about 1025/1030 got changed later and the even enlarged cathedral was completed in 1106, the year Conrad´s grandson Emperor Henry IV died.


In medieval times the burial places was at the eastern end of the central nave, just in front of the choir. Early 20th century, during renovations all tombs in the nave were opened by archeologists. Later this area in the crypt was created. Here are the tombs of eight German kings and emperors.

Here are to be seen (front to back) are the tombs of:


Adolf of Nassau, King of Germany, + 1298

Albert I, King of Germany, son of Rudolph I, + 1308

Rudolph I, King of Germany (aka "Rudolph of Habsburg"), + 1291

Beatrice I, Queen of Burgundy, wife of Frederick I, + 1184

Philip of Swabia, King of Germany, son of Frederick I (aka
"Barbarossa"), + 1208

Only a few tombs are visble to the left. There are the the tombs of:


Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor, son of Henry III, + 1106
He did the "Walk to Canossa")

Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor (aka "Henry the Pious"), son of
Conrad II, + 1056

Conrad II, Holy Roman Emperor, the first king of the Salian dynasty.
He comissioned this cathedral around 1025. + 1039

Gisela of Swabia, Empress, wife of Conrad II, mother of Henry III, + 1043

Bertha of Savoy, Empress, wife of Henry IV. She accompanied her
husband on the "Walk to Canossa". Mother of Conrad III and
Henry V. + 1087