Hildesheim, Germany: Exploring its UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Hildesheim, Germany, located in Lower Saxony is probably not on most peoples radar when they travel to Germany. In fact, I’ve never heard of Hildesheim until I looked up a route from Würzburg to the North Sea and wanted to see if there were any UNESCO sites. Sure enough, Hildesheim showed up because two churches, St. Mary’s Cathedral and St. Michael’s Church are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. If, like me, and you are trying to visit UNESCO sites in Germany, then spending a day in Hildesheim is well worth the effort. This post covers information on Hildesheim’s UNESCO sites and a few more sites to see in the city.
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Hildesheim is a city located in the German state of Lower Saxony or Niedersachsen in German. It is conveniently located right off the Autobahn 7 (A7), so traveling via car is really easy and the most recommended way to visit Hildesheim.
Hildesheim is about an hour and a half from Bremen and a half hour south of Hanover.
Hildesheim UNESCO World Heritage Sites
In total, Germany has 54 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. St. Mary’s Cathedral and St. Michael’s Church in Hildesheim are part of UNESCO and were added to the list in 1985. According to UNESCO, these churches were built around the years 1010 and 1020 and are perfect examples of Romanesque Churches of the Holy Roman Empire.
St. Mary's Cathedral
St. Mary’s Cathedral also known as the Hildesheim Cathedral is known for it’s unique art and architecture.
St Mary’s Cathedral first started as a chapel in 815 and the cathedral was built in 872. During WWII, the cathedral was destroyed and was rebuilt in the 1950’s and 1960’s.
What makes St. Mary’s Cathedral a UNESCO World Heritage Site is not the cathedral itself but the artwork and treasures within the cathedral.
Bernward of Hildesheim, a Bishop has many works of art that are still at the cathedral, to include the famous Bernward Doors. According to information at the church, the doors depict events that took place from the book of Genesis and the life of Christ.
Make sure to walk in the courtyard to see the Thousand year Rose. This is a rosebush that is said to date back to the year 815.
St. Michael's Church
The other major church in Hildesheim that is part of UNESCO is St. Michael’s Church.
According to the UNESCO website St. Michael’s Church was built with two apses that are seen in a lot of Ottonian Romanesque architecture.
Bishop Bernward of Hildesheim is said to have started the construction of this church and dedicating it to the archangel Michael. Bernward of Hildesheim died during the construction of the church and his successor, Bishop Godehard completed the construction of the church in the year 1031.
Like St. Mary’s Cathedral, St. Michael’s Church was heavily damaged during a bombing raid in 1945. The church was rebuilt in the 1950’s.
Bishop Bernward of Hildesheim lies in the churches western crypt.
The beautifully decorated wooden ceiling of St. Michael’s Church is a masterpiece that stands out.
Other Things to do in Hildesheim
You can easily spend a half to a full day in Hildesheim. St. Mary’s Cathedral and St. Michael’s Church are not the only attractions in Hildesheim. We spent about a half day in Hildesheim en route to the North Sea. Below are a few of the other attractions and sites we saw in Hildesheim that are worthwhile.
St. Andreas Church
Not part of UNESCO like the other two churches, St. Andreas Church is still an impressive church to see in Hildesheim. St. Andreas Church is considered to be the tallest church in Lower Saxony at a tower height of 114.5 meters. The majority of the church burnt down in 1945 during WWII but has since been rebuilt almost exactly to what it was prior to the war.
Marktplatz (Town Center or Market Place)
When visiting Hildesheim, do not miss out on the old town center (Marktplatz in German). The town center here is beautiful! Prior to WWII there were hundreds if not thousands of half-timbered homes in the area. Today, there are only a handful.
Most notable buildings surrounding the marktplatz are the Rathaus (townhall), Knochenhauer-Amtshaus (Butcher’s Guild House), and the Wedekindhaus.
There is also a great information center here at the marktplatz with free brochures, souvenirs, and local beer and wine.
Walk Around the Pferdemarkt and Hoherweg
If you need to do some shopping or looking for a place to eat lunch/dinner. I recommend heading to the Pferdemarkt and Hoherweg area.
Hoherweg is your typical German shopping street lined with generic stores. Pferdemarkt and Judenstrasse are similar.
There are lovely restaurants, ice cream shops, and bistros found around the area. We found a nice Döner Kebab place called Lawinia.
Conclusion
Hildesheim, Germany is home to St. Mary’s Cathedral and St. Michael’s Church, both listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Most visitors who come to Hildesheim primary visit these two heritage sites and for good reason. These sites are prime examples of Romanesque Churches with a long history and important artifacts. After visiting both St. Mary’s Cathedral and St. Michael’s Church there is still much to be discovered in Hildesheim.
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