Famous city of Speyer, one of the oldest cities of Germany, the capital of Bavaria. The Palatinate is located on the left side of the River Rhine, with a population of 24,000; it has a beautiful cathedral, the second largest church of Germany--Gothic and Romanesque style. Notice the round arches. Here are the tombs of the German emperors, especially the emperors of armies; they are buried in these catacomb-like crypts. In 1689 and 1794 Speyer was destroyed by French invasions. It became French in 1801, and after the victory over Napoleon it became Bavarian in 1815.
The so-called "little fountain" near the market square--Gothic style. The houses are also in the Gothic style. There is a wonderful sculpture and sculptural design on this fountain.
One of the city gates. All of these ancient cities are surrounded by walls, because they were also strongholds--they had to defend themselves against attacks of enemies. City gates formed the entraces. Each city usually had three or four city gates.
The famous "Bavaria", a symbolical figure representing the spirit of Bavaria. It is a powerful work of sculpture, with the lion at the feet of the figure.
This is a building of the Prussian Legation in Munich. Germany is divided into a number of Free States or provinces, and each State has its special diplomatic representatives in each other State.
This is the Propylaeae, called after the structure of the same name in Athens in ancient Greece. This structure of the 19th century forms the entrance to a large square with two museums at the right and left, containing famous ancient sculpture, Greek and Roman especially, and some Egyptian.