Entrance to the Speyer Cathedral
I can’t help but be impressed by the sheer size of the Speyer Cathedral. It is considered to be the largest Romanesque church in the world and I think I believe them. The size of the cathedral made it a model for other churches in the region to imitate. It is because of this influence on the design of churches that the cathedral was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. The well kept exterior of the church belies its actual age, having been repeatedly restored, rebuilt and renovated over the centuries.
Detail on the Speyer Cathedral
One of the most prominent features of the facade of the cathedral is the rose window that you see in Romanesque churches. Because of the sheer size of the cathedral, the rose window or oculus looks small in comparison. Unlike gothic cathedrals, the exterior of the cathedral is simpler in comparison. I can only recall seeing the Köln Cathedral and straining my eyes to see how the upper floors look like because even if there is no one to see it, the gothic design goes all the way up. The Speyer Cathedral isn’t like that so it is less of a work of art compared to gothic cathedrals. There are some statues on display here but they are not very common.
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