Speyer becomes a city monument: protection for history and owners!

Speyer becomes a city monument: protection for history and owners!

There has been an exciting turnaround in monument protection in Speyer: on January 7, 2026, the historic core city is expected to be officially recognized as a city monument. This is reported by the Rhine Palatinate. The decision is the result of an investigation by the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage (GDKE) Rhineland-Palatinate, which was carried out after a city council resolution from 2022, which voted 19 to 15 in favor of the investigation. According to the GDKE, the requirements for recognition as a city monument are met.

The special thing about this award: Speyer will be recognized as the largest and densest city monument in terms of area in the country. This not only brings with it an increased protection status, but also numerous advantages for the homeowners, such as City of Speyer represents. In the future, owners of listed buildings should be able to enjoy tax advantages and obtain permits for smaller structural measures more easily. This includes free monument approval for work that previously fell under the old town regulations.

A look at the concerns

Nevertheless, there are voices of skepticism. The CDU and FDP express concerns about the need for the consent of the monument protection authorities to intervene in the outer shell of buildings in the future. At the same time, members of Die Linke were also concerned that recognition as a city monument could lead to higher financial burdens for the owners through more expensive renovation measures. The political discussion is constantly shaped by the lack of clarity between the city administration and the GDKE, which the administration itself is sorry about.

Regulations and benefits for owners

Specific regulations currently apply in Speyer through the old town statutes of 1975. If the building is to be recognized as a city monument in the future, many structural measures will be subject to monument law. But in many cases the advantages outweigh the disadvantages: owners can deduct up to 100% of the recognized renovation and maintenance costs for rented properties from taxes over a period of 12 years. Owner-occupied property could have up to 90% of the cost deductible over 10 years.

The aim of this award is not only to protect the historic city structure, but also to preserve Speyer's identity for future generations and create long-term values. “Preserving the historical substance is a joint task between administration, owners and the public,” emphasizes the city administration.

Next Steps

There are important dates coming up in the coming weeks: The result of the GDKE investigation will be presented to the Committee for Urban Development, Building and Transport (ASBV) on October 28, 2025. The results will then be discussed in the city council on November 13th. If you have any questions, you can contact us directly Stadtdenkmal@Stadt-Speyer.de turn around.

All of these developments show that Speyer is well on its way to not only protecting its historic old town, but also giving owners easier access to necessary changes. This makes the city attractive for residents and visitors at the same time!