Introduction to Worms

45km (28 miles) S of Mainz, 43km (27 miles) SW of Darmstadt

Before the Romans came, Germanic peoples had made Worms their capital. Here, Siegfried began his legendary adventures, recorded in The Nibelungenlied. Later on, Martin Luther arrived under less than desirable circumstances. He was "invited" to appear before the Imperial Diet at Worms, and after he refused to retract his grievances against the Church of Rome, Holy Roman Emperor Karl V declared him an outlaw. A huge monument to Luther and other giants of the Reformation has been erected.

Worms also makes an excellent base for a tour of the Deutsche Weinstrasse, an 80km (50-mile) route through local wine towns.