Museum SchPIRA

About the museum

Speyer – Shpira in Hebrew – was home to one of the most important Jewish communities north of the Alps in the Middle Ages. In 1084 Bishop Rüdiger Huzmann took in Jewish refugees from Mainz and placed them under his protection. In the Judenhof (Jews' Courtyard), the heart of the Jewish quarter, the synagogue was built and consecrated around 1104, followed later by a women's synagogue, and around 1120 by the ritual bath, apparently with the help of craftsmen from the cathedral workshop. The community existed for more than 400 years until its history came to an end around 1500; the town fire of 1689 destroyed the medieval buildings of the Judengasse.

The mikveh survived because it was later used as a municipal armory and gunpowder store. The city of Speyer gradually acquired the plots of the site; since 1989 the Verkehrsverein Speyer (tourism association) has looked after the grounds for visitors on a volunteer basis. Restoration work and excavations in the synagogue area until 2001 gave the ensemble its present form.

The Museum SchPIRA opened next to the Judenhof on November 9, 2010. In around 80 square meters it presents archaeological finds related to the three pillars of the community – synagogue, cemetery and ritual bath – including 12th-century window and arch fragments, capitals, gravestones, coins and floor tiles. Many pieces returned to their place of origin as loans from the Historisches Museum der Pfalz and the state heritage office; a media room shows films about the mikveh. Since 2021 the Judenhof, together with the sites in Worms and Mainz, has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the SchUM cities.

Highlights

• Mikveh from around 1120 – the oldest surviving Jewish ritual bath north of the Alps
• Ruins of the synagogue consecrated around 1104 and of the women's synagogue
• Double-arched windows and capitals from the 12th century
• Medieval Jewish gravestones from Speyer
• Part of the SchUM Sites UNESCO World Heritage Site (since 2021)

Permanent exhibitions

• SchPIRA – Jüdisches Speyer im Mittelalter – Archaeological finds relating to the synagogue, cemetery and ritual bath of the medieval community, including 12th-century architectural fragments, gravestones, coins and floor tiles.
• Judenhof mit Synagogenruine und Mikwe – The walk-through ensemble of the medieval Jewish community center with the walls of the synagogue and the deep-lying ritual bath.

Founded

2010

Operated by

Stadt Speyer; Besucherbetreuung durch den Verkehrsverein Speyer e.V.

Admission & discounts

Admission covers the Judenhof with the synagogue ruins, the mikveh and the Museum SchPIRA (prices since 2026). Free admission for classes from Speyer schools and holders of the Pfalzcard.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Step-free access to the Judenhof, passageways at least 90 cm wide, ramps at steps; certified under “Reisen für Alle” according to the Museumsportal Rheinland-Pfalz. The mikveh lies about 10 m below street level and can only be reached by stairs.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Museum shop according to the Museumsportal Rheinland-Pfalz.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Plan your visit