Hildesheim facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hildesheim Hilmessen / Hilmssen  (Low German)
Clockwise from top: St. Mary's Cathedral (UNESCO World Heritage Site), half-timbered houses at the Brühl street, St. Andrews Church, St. Michael's Church (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Roemer- und Pelizaeus-Museum and the Historic Market Place
Flag Coat of arms
Country	Germany
State	Lower Saxony
District	Hildesheim
Elevation	81 m (266 ft)
Population  (2022-12-31)
• Total	101,858
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Postal codes	31134–31141
Dialling codes	05121
Vehicle registration	HI, ALF
Website	www.hildesheim.de

St Mary's Cathedral and St Michael's Church at Hildesheim

UNESCO World Heritage Site
Ottonian architecture in St. Michael's Church
Criteria	Cultural: i, ii, iii
Inscription	1987 (11th Session)
Area	0.58 ha
Buffer zone	157.68 ha

Hildesheim is a city in Lower Saxony, a state in north-central Germany. It has about 101,000 people living there. The city is located in the Hildesheim district, about 30 kilometers (19 miles) southeast of Hanover. It sits on the banks of the Innerste River, which is a small branch of the Leine River.

The Holy Roman Emperor Louis the Pious started the Bishopric of Hildesheim in the year 815. He also created the first small settlement with a chapel on a hill called Domhügel.

Hildesheim is connected to major roads, including the Autobahn 7. This highway links it to Hamburg in the north and Austria in the south.

Two important buildings in Hildesheim, the Hildesheim Cathedral and the St. Michael's Church, became UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1985. This means they are very special and important places for the whole world. In 2015, the city and its diocese (a church area) celebrated their 1200th birthday!

History of Hildesheim

How Hildesheim Began

People say the city got its name from its founder, Hildwin. Hildesheim is one of the oldest cities in Northern Germany. It became the main place for the Bishopric of Hildesheim in 815. It might have started when the bishop moved from Elze to a crossing point over the River Innerste. This spot was an important market on the Hellweg trade route.

The area around the cathedral quickly grew into a town. In 983, King Otto III gave it the right to hold a market. The first market was on a street still called Alter Markt (Old Market). Later, as the city grew, a bigger market square was needed. The current market square was created in the early 1200s, when Hildesheim had about 5,000 people.

Hildesheim in the Middle Ages

Hildesheim became an official city in 1249. At that time, it was one of the largest cities in Northern Germany. For 400 years, church leaders ruled Hildesheim. Then, a Town Hall was built, and citizens started to have more say and independence. The building of the current Town Hall began in 1268. In 1367, Hildesheim joined the Hanseatic League, a powerful group of trading cities.

Changes and Wars

In 1542, most people in Hildesheim became Lutheran (Protestant). Only the cathedral and a few other buildings stayed under Roman Catholic control. Some villages nearby also remained Catholic.

During the Thirty Years' War, Hildesheim was attacked and taken over several times. This happened in 1628 and 1632 by imperial troops, and in 1634 by troops from other German regions.

Hildesheim in the 1800s

After the Napoleonic Wars in 1813, Hildesheim became part of the Kingdom of Hanover. Later, in 1866, it became a province of the Kingdom of Prussia. In 1868, soldiers found a very valuable collection of about 70 Roman silver dishes and cups. This discovery is known as the Hildesheim Treasure.

World War II and Rebuilding

Hildesheim city square in April 1945, after the war

During World War II, Hildesheim was heavily damaged by British air raids in 1945. The worst attack was on March 22. Even though Hildesheim was not a major military target, the historic city was bombed to lower the spirits of German civilians.

About 29% of the houses were completely destroyed, and 45% were damaged. Only 26% of the houses remained untouched. The city center, which had kept its old medieval look, was almost completely flattened. Before the war, there were about 800 half-timbered houses, but only around 200 survived.

After the war, people focused on building new homes quickly. Modern concrete buildings replaced many of the destroyed historic ones. However, most of the important churches, including the two UNESCO World Heritage sites, were rebuilt to look like their original style soon after the war.

Modern Hildesheim

In 1978, the University of Hildesheim was started. In the 1980s, efforts began to rebuild the historic city center. Some of the less attractive concrete buildings around the market square were taken down. They were replaced with copies of the original historic buildings. In 2007, it was decided to rebuild the Umgestülpter Zuckerhut (Upended Sugarloaf). This is a famous half-timbered house known for its unusual shape. In 2015, the city and its diocese celebrated their 1200th anniversary.

Religions in Hildesheim

In 1542, most people in Hildesheim became Lutherans. Today, about 28.5% of people are Roman Catholics. About 38.3% are Protestants. The remaining 33% follow other religions or do not have a religion.

Main Sights to See

Reconstructed market square at night

• The Marktplatz (historic market place) was rebuilt between 1984 and 1990. It was destroyed in the 1945 air raid. Important buildings in the square include:
  • The Knochenhaueramtshaus (Butchers' Guild Hall): This building was first built in 1529. It was destroyed in 1945 and rebuilt from 1987 to 1989. Its front is beautifully decorated with colorful paintings. Today, it has a restaurant and the City Museum.
  • The Bäckeramtshaus (Bakers' Guild Hall): This half-timbered house was originally built in 1825. It was rebuilt after being destroyed in 1945. Now, it is a café.
  • The Town Hall: Built in the 13th century in a Gothic style. It was partly destroyed in 1945 but rebuilt and opened again in 1954.
  • The Tempelhaus: A 14th-century house that now holds the tourist information office. It was damaged in World War II but fixed by 1950.
  • The Wedekindhaus: A 16th-century house known for its tall, beautifully carved floors.
• The Romanesque St. Mary's Cathedral: This cathedral has ancient bronze doors (called Bernward Doors) from around 1015 and other valuable items. The cathedral was built in the 9th century. It was almost completely destroyed in 1945 but rebuilt quickly. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985. A famous dog rose bush, supposedly 1,000 years old, still grows on the wall of the cathedral.
  • Museum of the Cathedral: Here you can see the Cathedral Treasure.
• St. Michael's Church: This is another UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is an early Romanesque church in Germany and a great example of Ottonian architecture. It was built from 1010 to 1022.
• The St. Andreas (St. Andrew's Church): A 12th-century Gothic church with the tallest church steeple (114.5 meters or 376 feet) in Lower Saxony. Across from the church is the Upended Sugarloaf, a unique half-timbered house from 1509.
• The Roemer-und-Pelizaeus-Museum: This museum has collections from ancient Egypt and Peru. It also hosts special exhibitions.
• The Kreuzkirche (Church of the Holy Cross): This church was once part of the city's medieval defenses. It became a church around 1079. It was badly damaged in 1945 and rebuilt.
• The Romanesque Basilica Minor of St. Godehard (St. Gotthard's Church): Built from 1133 to 1172. It is expected to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site soon.
• The Kehrwiederturm (Kehrwieder Tower): Built around 1300, this is the only remaining tower from the city's medieval walls.
• Half-timbered houses: Many old half-timbered houses that were not destroyed in World War II can be seen around St. Godehard and the Kehrwieder Tower. You can find them on streets like Keßlerstraße, Knollenstraße, Gelber Stern, Am Kehrwieder, Lappenberg, Brühl, Hinterer Brühl, and Godehardsplatz. Some have beautiful wood carvings on their fronts.
• The church St. Jacobi (St. James' Church): This 500-year-old Gothic church was a pilgrim church on St. James's Path. Today, it is a cultural church focusing on literature.
• The Monument of the Synagogue: This monument was built in 1988 in the old Jewish quarter. It shows the foundations of the synagogue that was destroyed in 1938.
• Mauritiuskirche (St. Maurice's Church): An 11th-century Romanesque church on a hill in the west of the city. It has a cloister (a covered walkway).
• Kaiserhaus (Emperor's House): A Renaissance building from 1586 in Alter Markt, the oldest street in Hildesheim. It was rebuilt after the war.
• The Alte Kemenate: A medieval storehouse from the 15th century, one of the oldest non-religious buildings in Hildesheim. It was damaged but repaired after the war.
• St Magdalena's Church (Magdalenenkirche): A small church with large windows, started in 1224. It was originally Romanesque but changed to Gothic in 1456.
• Magdalenengarten: A beautiful Baroque park created between 1720 and 1725, near St. Magdalena's Church. It has many types of roses, a rose museum, and even a small vineyard.
• St. Bernward's Church: A church built from 1905 to 1907, destroyed in 1945, and rebuilt from 1948 to 1949.
• Steuerwald Castle (Burg Steuerwald): Located north of the city, about 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) from the Market Place. It was built from 1310 to 1313.
• Marienburg Castle (Burg Marienburg): Located southeast of Hildesheim, about 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) from the Market Place. It was built from 1346 to 1349.
• Marienrode Priory (Kloster Marienrode): Located southwest of Hildesheim, about 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) from the Market Place. It was founded in 1125. The church was built in Gothic style and completed in 1462.

Other interesting places include the theatre, which offers opera, musicals, plays, ballet, and concerts.

Population of Hildesheim

On December 31, 2017, Hildesheim had 103,970 residents.

Who Leads Hildesheim?

The current mayor of Hildesheim is Dr. Ingo Meyer. He has been the mayor since 2014.

Twin Towns and Sister Cities

Hildesheim is connected to other cities around the world as "twin towns" or "sister cities":

Fun Events in Hildesheim

• M'era Luna Festival: This is a very important festival for fans of gothic and wave music in Europe.
• "Jazztime" festival: A jazz music festival held on the weekend of Pentecost (usually in May or June).

Economy and Businesses

Some important companies in Hildesheim include:

• Robert Bosch Car Multimedia
• St. Bernward Hospital
• Helios Hospital
• Sparkasse Hildesheim
• KSM Castings Group
• Petrofer Chemie H. R.
• Optimal Personal & Organisation
• Medifox DAN
• Howmet Aerospace

Getting Around Hildesheim

Hildesheim has good ways to get around. It's a main spot for national roads and trains (Hildesheim Hauptbahnhof has fast InterCityExpress services). It's also connected to the motorway (Autobahn), has a harbor on the Mittellandkanal (a canal), and a local airfield.

Schools and Learning

Hildesheim has many secondary schools, including different types of high schools like Gymnasiums and comprehensive schools. Some examples are Gymnasium Andreanum and Gymnasium Marienschule.

For higher education, students can attend the University of Hildesheim or the Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaft und Kunst (HAWK).

Culture

The city is home to the main office of the Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Frankfurt and all of Germany.

Famous People from Hildesheim

Ludolf van Ceulen, a mathematician

Ferdinand von Roemer, a geologist

Adolf Hurwitz, a mathematician

Hans Adolf Krebs, Nobel Prize winner

Oskar Schindler, known for saving lives

Many interesting people have connections to Hildesheim:

• Gotthard of Hildesheim (960–1038): A Roman Catholic saint.
• Bernward of Hildesheim (960–1022): A famous Bishop of Hildesheim.
• John of Hildesheim (around 1310–1375): A Carmelite friar and writer.
• Frederick Hornemann (1772–1801): A German explorer of Africa.
• Ferdinand von Roemer (1818–1891): A well-known geologist.
• Erich Pommer (1889–1966): A famous film producer.
• Adolf Hurwitz (1859–1919): A mathematician who worked on algebra and geometry.
• Heinrich Nordhoff (1899–1968): An engineer who was the Chairman of Volkswagen and important for the VW Beetle car.
• Sir Hans Adolf Krebs (1900–1981): A doctor and biochemist who won the Nobel Prize in 1953.
• Oskar Schindler (1908–1974): A German businessman famous for saving many lives during World War II. His story was told in the book Schindler's Ark and the film Schindler's List.
• Rudolf Schenker (born 1948): A guitarist and founder of the hard rock band Scorpions.
• Michael Schenker (born 1955): Another German rock guitarist, also a founding member of the Scorpions.
• Thomas Quasthoff (born 1959): A famous German bass-baritone singer.
• Wolfgang and Christoph Lauenstein (born 1962): Twin brothers who won an Academy Award in 1989 for their animated film Balance.
• Diane Kruger (born 1976): A supermodel and actress, known for playing Helen in the film Troy.
• Sara Harstick (born 1981): A freestyle swimmer who won bronze medals at the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics.

Images for kids

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  St. Michael's Church, a UNESCO World Heritage site

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  Bakers' Guild Hall and Butchers' Guild Hall in the Market Place

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  Historic Market Place with City Hall and market fountain

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  Saint Michael's Church and the tower of St. Andreas seen from St. Magdalena's Garden

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  Tempelhaus in the historic Market Place

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  The Wernersches House (1606) is a half-timbered house with wood carvings on its front.

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  Half-timbered houses in Lappenberg Street

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  Tower Kehrwiederturm (14th century)

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  Marienrode Priory

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  Renaissance bay window in Alter Markt Street

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  River Innerste and Saint Magdalena's Church

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  Baroque park Magdalenengarten

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  Vineyard in Magdalenengarten

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  Alte Kemenate, a medieval store house (15th century)

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  St. Magdalena's Church

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  Half-timbered house (1981) built on the medieval city wall in Mühlenstraße

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  Spherical Panorama of the Market Place

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  Knochenhaueramtshaus before its destruction in 1945

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  St Andreaskirche, Hildesheim, with its 114-meter high steeple

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  Basilica of St Godehard

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  St Lamberti, Hildesheim, in 2007, with its new spire

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  Market Place (Markt) on an autumn evening

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  St Mauritius Church

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  Half-timbered houses in Keßlerstraße

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  Half-timbered houses in street "Hinterer Brühl"

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  Abbey of the Dormition of the Theotokos

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  The town hall around 1900

See also

In Spanish: Hildesheim para niños