Nibelungs and Siegfried Road
A mythical journey from the Rhine to the Main river...  

The name of the city evokes the Nibelungenlied, the Wormser Konkordat (a momentous agreement between Emperor Heinrich V and the Pope in the year 1122 ending by a compromise a long dispute about the Emperor’s right of investiture of bishops), Imperial diets, conferences of princes and Martin Luther. There are only a few cities in Germany that have lived and suffered through so much history. Archaeological findings show that the area around Worms was settled in prehistoric times. The Celts called the city ‘Borbetomagus’ which later turned into ‘Worms’. When the Romans arrived at the Rhine, they called the city ‘Civitas Vangionum’, after the tribe of the Vangiones. This later turned into the term Wonnegau (which translates into something like ‘delightful area’), quite appropriate for this fertile wine growing region. After the Völkerwanderung (the Migration Period, also called Barbarian Invasions, was a migration which occurred within the period of roughly AD 300-700 in Europe, marking the transition from Late Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages), the Franks became the rulers. The first cathedral was erected. And the first royal palace was built, Charlemagne’s favourite place.

In the 11^th and 12^th century, the Romanesque cathedral was constructed, the crown of the city to this day. Great rulers like Henry IV, Frederick I Barbarossa and Frederick II made the city the centre of the empire.

Heavy destructions in the 17^th and 18^th century as well as in World War II brought great misery to the city. Even though the city was rebuilt after 1945 and now has a modern look, visitors still find vestiges of German and central European history everywhere. In the centre of the city, around the Gothic Liebfrauenkirche and in most suburbs, the wine is still growing. Every year, starting on the last weekend of August for the duration of nine days, the city shows a particularly happy and cheerful face during the traditional fried fish festival, the Backfischfest. It offers an attractive fun-fair and an extensive supporting programme featuring old traditions.

 

WORTH SEEING:

• St. Peter (11^th to 12^th century), Romanesque Imperial cathedral with Baroque high altar created by Balthasar Neumann
• Magnus-Kirche (oldest Lutheran church in Southwest Germany – originally a Carolingian one room church (8^th to 9^th century). * Dreifaltigkeits-Kirche (memorial church of the Reformation – completed in 1725)
• Luther monument (world monument of the Reformation – inaugurated in1868)
• Martinskirche (Romanesque basilica, 11^th to 13^th century)
• Pauluskirche and Paulusstift (St. Paul Church and St. Paul convent), now a Dominican monastery
• Liebfrauen Kirche (Church of Our Lady), 14^th to 15^th century, surrounded by the world-renowned Liebfrauenmilch vineyards.
• Heiliger Sand (oldest Jewish cemetery in Europe)
• Synagogue (11^th century), oldest synagogue in Germany
• Remnants of the old city wall; Hagen statue on the Rhine promenade

Please visit also
Nibelungen Festival
Tourist Information
History of Worms
Nibelungs and Siegfried Road

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Worms City