Worms

See Pests for vermin.

Worms is a city in the Rhineland-Palatinate region of Germany. You can still see many vestiges of the old city walls, particularly the Torturmplatz and the Karolingerstraße. The Dom of St. Peter and St Paul, which was completed in 1325 survived the destruction of World War II.

Understand

The entrance to Worms

Being one of the older German cities, Worms played a key role in German history. Worms' current incarnation was founded by Charlemagne, and the city's bishopric dates back to the fourth century. The town is famous for the Diet of Worms, to which Luther was summoned in 1521 to Emperor Charles V. He refused to recant his beliefs, saying the famous words "Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me. Amen." As a result, he was declared vogelfrei (outlaw) by the secular authorities and excommunicated by the church.

The city also has a rich Jewish history.

• 1 Tourist Information Centre, Am Neumarkt 14, ☏ +49 6241 8 53 73 06. Pick up a map of the city's main attractions. 

Get in

By train

1 Worms Hauptbahnhof.   It is served by trains from Bingen, Mainz, Bensheim, Mannheim, or Ludwigshafen (Rhein).

There is a ticket office in the main station of Worms (closed on Saturday afternoon, Sundays and holidays).

By car

Reach by the B47 either from the A61 (west) or the A67 or A5 (east) over the Rhine.

By taxi

• Taxi Worms, ☏ +49 6241 3852754. (updated Apr 2024)

Get around

Walking is the best way to enjoy the historical centre.

There is also a bus system running day and night; buy tickets from the drivers.

See

Worms Kaiserdom St. Peter

• 1 Cathedral of St Peter (Wormser Dom), Dom Square. Romanesque cathedral, one of Germany's three "imperial cathedrals" on the Rhine (together with those in Mainz and Speyer), dating back to 600 AD. 
• 2 Nibelungenmuseum Worms, Fischerpförtchen 10, ☏ +49 6241 8534120. Listen to the mythical story of Worms. There is nothing to see in that museum. It's only listening to a story from headphones.  
• 3 Jewish Synagogue, Bath and museum (Rashi-House and Mikwe). Together with the cemetery and sites in Speyer and Mainz, these well-preserved Jewish heritage sites make up a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 
• 4 Jewish Cemetery - Holy Sand (Heiliger Sand), Willy-Brandt-Ring 21. Referred to as the oldest surviving Jewish cemetery in Europe. The oldest tombstone still legible dates from 1058/59. 
• 5 Nibelungenturm. Nice historic Rhine bridge and tower. 
• Museum der Stadt Worms im Andreasstift, Weckerlingplatz 7. City museum covering 5000 years of settlement in and around Worms. It has wide range of artifacts from prehistoric, Roman and medieval times, where especially the Roman glass collection is impressive. (updated May 2024)
• 6 Martin Luther monument (Lutherdenkmal). A monument to church reformers. 

Luther Monument

• City Walls
• The Park and the manor-house in Herrnsheim. The park was created by Friedrich Ludwig Sckell, who designed the "Englischer Garten" in Munich as well.
• River Banks with restaurants

Do

• Cross the Rhine bridge for a walk through the green eastern banks. You can bathe in the Rhine, too! The water quality is again very good, even the salmon have returned!

Eat

• 1 Hagenbräu, Am Rhein 3, ☏ +49 6241 921100. If you want to try real German cuisine with a freshly brewed beer (from their own brewery) then Hagenbräu is your first choice in Worms. Very nice in summertime where you can sit outside at the riverside and enjoy a chilled beer. They sometimes have a changing buffet like schnitzel buffet or fish buffet for a good price between 17:30 and 21:00. Check it out on their website. 

Sleep

• 1 Nibelungen-Jugendherberge, Dechaneigasse 1, ☏ +49 6241 25780. Youth hostel. 
• 2 Parkhotel Prinz Carl, Prinz-Carl-Anlage 10-14, ☏ +49 6241 3080. 

Go next

• Osthofen
• Oppenheim
• Mainz
• Mannheim
• Heidelberg
• Frankfurt
• Towns along the Bergstraße