Museum SchPIRA, Jewish heritage museum in Speyer, Germany
Museum SchPIRA is a museum in Speyer that opened on 9 November 2010, 72 years after the Reichspogromnacht, in which the city's synagogue was destroyed. On 80 square metres it displays archaeological finds from medieval Jewish life in Speyer, including a 12th-century round-arch fragment, 14th-century gravestones and a double-arch window from 1110/20. Some pieces are permanent loans from the Historical Museum of the Palatinate.
Museum SchPIRA opened on 9 November 2010, 72 years after the Reichspogromnacht, during which Speyer's synagogue was also destroyed. It was conceived as a complement to the neighbouring Judenhof, where the synagogue, cemetery and mikveh of the medieval community can be seen.
The museum's name is the historical Hebrew designation of Speyer, "Spira", one of the three SchUM cities alongside Mainz and Worms. The exhibits come from medieval Jewish Speyer, and some are permanent loans from the Historical Museum of the Palatinate in Speyer.
The museum covers 80 square metres on one level, so the whole exhibition can be seen in a short visit. It stands next to the Judenhof, where the synagogue, cemetery and mikveh are visited together with the SchPIRA exhibits. Some objects are on permanent loan from the Historical Museum of the Palatinate in Speyer.
The site sits in Speyer's medieval Jewish quarter, linked to one of Europe's oldest and most significant Jewish settlements. This location allows visitors to explore the museum in connection with the surrounding historical landscape.
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