Roman troops and medieval emperors once paraded down ‘Via Triumphalis’. Now known as Maximilianstrasse, Speyer’s pedestrian-only shopping precinct is 800m long, linking the Dom with the 55m-high, 13th-century Altpörtel , the city’s western gate and the only remaining part of the town wall. The clock (1761) has separate dials for minutes and hours. The views from up top are breathtaking.
A favourite with window-shoppers and strollers alike, Maximilianstrasse is lined with baroque buildings, among which the Rathaus (at No 13), with its red-orange facade and lavish rococo 1st floor (open for concerts and events), and the Alte Münze (Old Mint; at No 90) are worth a look.
The numbering of the buildings along Maximilianstrasse (from 1 to 100) begins at the Dom, runs sequentially along the south side to the Altpörtel, and then continues along the north side back to the Dom - be prepared for confusion!
