Speyer is a city located in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate in western Germany. Situated on the left bank of the river Rhine, it lies approximately 25 km south of Ludwigshafen and Mannheim, and 21 km south-west of Heidelberg. The city has a population of roughly 50,000 inhabitants.
Founded by the Romans as a fortified town on the northeastern frontier of their empire, Speyer is one of Germany's oldest cities. Its landscape is dominated by several notable landmarks, including the Altpörtel and numerous churches. Most significant among these is the Speyer Cathedral, which houses the tombs of eight Holy Roman Emperors and German kings beneath its high altar.