Tombs at the Crypt at Speyer Cathedral
I was surprised to see that there was a crypt here at Speyer Cathedral. It was just as well because I was already bored with my visit. The crypt has a small entrance fee so I decided to just go for it since I was already there. If they are asking money for it, maybe it is that important. The crypts in cathedrals like Speyer would typically be populated with kings and emperors who wished to be buried near God, which in this case would be the cathedral. There are a number of kings and emperors of various dynasties who were buried here which only increased the prestige of the cathedral. After all, if all those kings and emperors thought that they should be buried there, then others who weren’t buried there might be thought of as lesser rulers.
Sculpture of Royalty at the Crypt at Speyer Cathedral
As you might expect, the crypt at Speyer Cathedral was dark so it already had the atmosphere going. The crypt itself was originally small chambers and over the years were expanded to be what it is right now. I was surprised to learn this because you can’t tell that this was the cause. The vaulted ceiling is very impressive and it is supported by multiple columns. This is considered to be the largest Romanesque columned hall crypt in Europe. The design of the crypt is consistent with the rest of the church too which only adds to the elegance of the structure. This being a crypt has numerous tombs where the kings and emperors would lie. The tombs here were not as fancy as the ones that I have seen in France where you would see sculptures of the deceased carved in the cover of the tomb.
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