Speyer in February 2026: Culture, Education, and Urban Development in Focus

Culture and Urban Development in Focus

What was important this month

• Heritage register updated: Speyer has updated its heritage register to better protect historical buildings and cultural monuments.
• Media:Tor digital learning center further developed: The digital education center will continue to support schools and young people with digital resources and workshops.
• Youth city council re-elected: The 9th Youth City Council was elected and unanimously adopted a code of values.
• New project at Normand Sports Field: The Design Advisory Committee approved two preliminary designs for an urban biotope, which is to be realized with funding.
• New mayor in the starting blocks: Monika Kabs said goodbye to the city council, and Prof. Dr. Alexander Schubert was appointed as the new 1st Mayor.
• Childcare and full-day support: The merger of two daycare centers and new contributions for Friday childcare were decided.

Heritage Protection and Historical Culture in Speyer

In February, the city of Speyer updated its heritage register. This register serves to protect historically valuable buildings, churches, city fortifications, and other cultural monuments. The register is alphabetically sorted by street names and does not include financial information, as it is not complete and merely serves as a basis for heritage protection laws.

The goal is to supplement the heritage topography and inform citizens and architects about the protection status. Corrections or suggestions can be sent to the office of the state heritage conservation. It is particularly important to note that the protection status is already regulated by § 3 of the heritage protection law – even if entries in the register are missing.

Education and Youth Policy: Media:Tor and Youth City Council

The digital education center Media:Tor remains a central actor in school digitization. The facility, operated by the media authority of Rhineland-Palatinate, continues to work closely with the municipal media center. Funding largely depends on third-party funds – a total budget of nearly 64,000 euros is planned for 2025, with nearly 35,000 euros coming from third-party funds.

The Youth City Council elected the 9th Youth City Council. With 28 members aged 12 to 18, including 13 girls and 15 boys, the new generation is represented in politics. The newly elected chairperson Rebeca de Souza Batista and her deputies Christian Häuser and Isabel Breitling introduced themselves at a public meeting. The new Youth City Council adopted a code of values, plans a fundraising campaign, and supports the project "Young Helpers – Speyer Saves Lives."

Urban Development: Normand Sports Field and Biotope

Another milestone in urban development is the project "Normand Sports Field – Urban Biotope." In the Committee for Urban Development, Building and Transport, it was decided to publish two preliminary designs for the project to involve citizens in the planning process. The implementation costs are estimated at 3.5 to 4 million euros, and 90% of the funds come from the Federal-State Funding Program "Social Cohesion."

The two preliminary designs – "Steg – the Human as an Observer" and "Terracing" – were positively evaluated by the Design Advisory Committee. They follow a modern, ecological concept that differs from traditional park designs. Citizen participation begins in March 2026, and the final planning is to be completed before the application for funding.

Overview of relevant topics

February in Speyer was characterized by a strong focus on culture, education, and urban development. The update of the heritage register is a step toward preserving the city's cultural identity. At the same time, Speyer is investing in digital education and the future of youth policy. The new projects in urban development show how Speyer is not only building for the future but also integrating nature into the urban space.

Final Assessment with Outlook

February 2026 has shown that Speyer remains active on various levels. Whether in heritage protection, in the digitization of education, or in urban development – the city is looking ahead without forgetting its past. With the appointment of the new mayor, the farewell of Monika Kabs, and the election of the new Youth City Council, Speyer has also symbolically embarked on a new beginning.

In March, it will become clear how far the citizen participation for the Normand Project progresses and what new impulses emerge from the Youth City Council. Digital education and childcare remain central topics – and Speyer has already set a clear direction here.