The ancient city of Worms (pronounced "vorms" in German) has been settled for 6000 years, long before the Romans came. Worms is one of the oldest cities in Germany along with Trier and Cologne. It is surrounded by vineyards and the white wine Liebfraumilch is produced here.
The Imperial Cathedral in Worms
The towns of Mainz, Speyer and Worms are home to the three great imperial cathedrals on the Upper Rhine. The majestic towers of the 1000-year-old landmark in Worms are visible from a distance. Worms Cathedral - or Wormser Dom as it is called in German - was built 1125-81 and is one of the finest examples of high Romanesque architecture in Germany. Like Speyer Cathedral the magnificent basilica with its four round corner towers, two domes and a choir at each end is built of red sandstone. Its Baroque high altar by Balthasar Neumann was built after the city's devastation during the French wars (1689). In the cathedral's dark and austere crypt rest five generations of the Salian dynasty.
Martin Luther in Worms
On 18 April 1521, the reformer Martin Luther was summoned before the Emperor Charles V to recant his teachings and he refused to do so. He defended himself with the words: "Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen." His decision had a tremendous impact on world politics and started a new chapter for Christians. The Holy Roman Emperor declared Luther an outlaw. But he was rescued by Frederick of Saxony and whisked away to Wartburg Castle.
In 1868 the world's largest Reformation memorial was unveiled in Worms. The monument is inspired by Luther’s famous hymn ‘A Mighty Fortress is Our God’ and was designed by Ernst Rietschel. Shaped like a castle it tells the history of the reformation with the statue of Luther in the center and the forerunners of the reformation seated at his feet.
Worms and the Nibelungs
The dragon-slayer Siegfried began his adventures according to the medieval "Nibelungenlied" (Song of the Nibelungs) in Worms. The majority of the epic poem's scenes are set in and around the town portraying a world of courtly love, jealousy and revenge. The poem has sometimes been referred to as a "Northern Odyssey". The Nibelungen Museum (founded in 2001) presents and recreates the myth using innovative technology. An audio tour of the museum is guided by the voice of the poem's unknown author. Visitors can also go on a hunt for the legendary treasure of the Nibelungs which is said to be buried under the town.
Europe’s Oldest Jewish Cemetery
In the early Middle Ages Worms was home to an estimated 1,100 Jews. Rabbi Solomon Ben Isaak , or Rashi, a Rabbi from France renowned for his commentary on Torah and Talmud spent time here around 1060. The Jewish Quarter was destroyed during the violent events of Kristallnacht in 1938 and at the end of World War II there were no Jews left in Worms. A ritual mikwe (women's bath) and a synagogue dating from 1175 - destroyed and rebuilt several times during religious persecutions - have been carefully reconstructed.
Worms today has a small Jewish community. The cemetery "Holy Sands" just outside of town (dating from the 11th century) remained untouched during the Nazi years. It is believed to be the oldest and largest Jewish cemetery in Europe.
How to get to Worms:
Coming from the northwest (from Cologne, Koblenz or Mainz), follow the A61 towards Ludwigshafen. Take exit Worms (no 58) and follow the B47 towards Worms-Zentrum.
Coming from the east (for Frankfurt, Mannheim, Heidelberg), follow the A67. Take exit Lorsch (no 9), then follow the B47 towards Worms.
City of Worms Tourist Information
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