Worms, << vawrms >> (pop. 79,207), is a historic town and river port in southern Germany. It lies on the west bank of the Rhine River.
Worms has a magnificent cathedral that is a fine example of Romanesque architecture. The cathedral dates from the 1000’s. A monument dedicated to the Protestant reformer Martin Luther stands in the city. It honors Luther’s appearance before the Diet of Worms in 1521. The diet (assembly) issued the Edict of Worms, which proclaimed Luther a heretic. Worms is also the site of what may be Europe’s oldest Jewish cemetery. The cemetery dates from the 1000’s. Worms produces the famous Liebfraumilch wine. Its other economic activities include shipping and the manufacture of chemicals, furniture, leather goods, machinery, and textiles.
Roman soldiers built a fort on the site of what is now Worms in 14 B.C. During the Middle Ages, officials of the Holy Roman Empire held nearly 100 diets in Worms.
