diff --git a/ftdetect/sparql.vim b/ftdetect/sparql.vim
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..28fe3b1a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ftdetect/sparql.vim
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+au BufRead,BufNewFile *.sparql set filetype=sparql
diff --git a/syntax/sparql.vim b/syntax/sparql.vim
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6189fb03d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/syntax/sparql.vim
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+" Vim syntax file 
+" Language: SPARQL 
+" Maintainer: Jeroen Pulles <jeroen.pulles@redslider.net>
+" Last Change: 2006 Dec 26
+" Remark: This syntax file only supports the query language, 
+" not the protocol or result. See reference at 
+" http://www.w3.org/TR/rdf-sparql-query/#grammar 
+
+" For version 5.x: Clear all syntax items
+" For version 6.x: Quit when a syntax file was already loaded
+if version < 600
+  syntax clear
+elseif exists("b:current_syntax")
+  finish
+endif
+
+" A.3 Keywords are matched in a case-insensitive manner. (only keywords)
+syntax case ignore
+syntax keyword rqKeyword BASE PREFIX SELECT DISTINCT CONSTRUCT DESCRIBE ASK FROM NAMED WHERE ORDER BY ASC DESC LIMIT OFFSET OPTIONAL GRAPH FILTER REGEX 
+syntax case match
+" case sensitive: 
+syntax keyword rqRdfType a
+syntax keyword rqBuiltinCall STR LANG LANGMATCHES DATATYPE BOUND isIRI isURI isBLANK isLITERAL 
+syntax keyword rqBoolean true false 
+syntax keyword Todo TODO FIXME XXX 
+" A.4 Comments 
+syntax match rqComment /\#.*$/ contains=Todo,rqCodepointEscape 
+
+" A.5 & A.6 Escape sequences  
+syntax match rqCodepointEscape /\(\\U\x\{8\}\|\\u\x\{4\}\)/ contained contains=NONE
+syntax match rqStringEscape +\\[tnrbf\"']\++ contained contains=NONE
+
+" Strings
+" [63], [78], [79], [80], [81]
+syntax match rqStringSingle +'\([^\u0027\u005C\u000A\u000D]\|\\[tnrbf\\"']\+\|\\U\x\{8\}\|\\u\x\{4\}\)*'+ contains=rqStringEscape,rqCodepointEscape,@Spell 
+syntax match rqStringDouble +"\([^\u0022\u005C\u000A\u000D]\|\\[tnrbf\\"']\+\|\\U\x\{8\}\|\\u\x\{4\}\)*"+ contains=rqStringEscape,rqCodepointEscape,@Spell 
+syntax region rqStringLongSingle start=+'''+ end=+'''+ contains=rqStringEscape,rqCodepointEscape,@Spell 
+syntax region rqStringLongDouble start=+"""+ end=+"""+ contains=rqStringEscape,rqCodepointEscape,@Spell 
+syntax cluster rqString contains=rqStringSingle,rqStringDouble,rqStringLongSingle
+
+" Names 
+" [69] Qname
+syntax match rqQnamePrefix /\(\w\|\\U\x\{8\}\|\\u\x\{4\}\)\+:/he=e-1 contains=rqCodepointEscape 
+" [67] Q_IRI_REF 
+syntax match rqQIRIREF /<[^<>'{}|^`\u00-\u20]*>/hs=s+1,he=e-1 contains=rqCodepointEscape 
+" [71], [72], [88-90] Variables 
+" (JPU: High code points crash my vim, too many character classes SEGV my vim
+"  I'll just keep it simple for now: recognize word-class characters plus
+"  escapes: )
+syntax match rqVar /[?$]\{1\}\(\w\|\\U\x\{8\}\|\\u\x\{4\}\)\+/ contains=rqCodepointEscape 
+
+
+
+highlight link rqKeyword Keyword 
+highlight link rqBuiltinCall Keyword
+highlight link rqVar Identifier 
+highlight link rqStringSingle String 
+highlight link rqStringLongSingle String 
+highlight link rqStringDouble String 
+highlight link rqStringLongDouble String 
+highlight link rqComment Comment
+highlight link rqRdfType Constant 
+highlight link rqQIRIREF Constant
+highlight link rqBoolean Constant
+highlight link rqQnamePrefix Macro
+highlight link rqCodepointEscape SpecialChar 
+highlight link rqStringEscape SpecialChar 
+
+
+" Define the default highlighting.
+" For version 5.7 and earlier: only when not done already
+" For version 5.8 and later: only when an item doesn't have highlighting yet
+if version >= 508 || !exists("did_sparql_syn_inits")
+  if version < 508
+    let did_sparql_syn_inits = 1
+    command -nargs=+ HiLink hi link <args>
+  else
+    command -nargs=+ HiLink hi def link <args>
+  endif
+
+"  HiLink mysqlKeyword		 Statement
+
+  delcommand HiLink
+endif
+
+let b:current_syntax = "sparql"