Speyer (formerly known as Spires in English) is a city of Rhineland-Palatinate Germany with approximately 50 000 inhabitants. Located beside the river Rhine Speyer is 25 km south of Ludwigshafen and Mannheim. Founded by the Romans it is one of Germany's oldest cities. The first known names were Noviomagus and Civitas Nemetum after the Teutonic tribe Nemetes settled in the area. Around the year 500 the name Spira first appeared in written documents.
