St. Michael's Church, Hildesheim facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Michael's |
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| Church of St. Michael's | |
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Michaeliskirche or St. Michaelis
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St. Michaelis in 2009, view from southeast
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 St. Michael's
Location in Lower Saxony
St. Michael's
Location in Germany
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| 52°09′10″N 09°56′37″E / 52.15278°N 9.94361°E | |
| Location | Hildesheim |
| Country | Germany |
| Denomination | simultaneum (Lutheran and Catholic) |
| History | |
| Status | parish church |
| Dedication | |
| Consecrated | 1022 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | active |
| Architectural type | basilica with 2 quires and 2 transepts |
| Style | Romanesque Gothic (southern side windows) |
| Groundbreaking | late 10th century |
| Completed | late 12th century |
| Specifications | |
| Length | overall: 74.75 metres (245.2 ft) nave between crossings: 27.34 metres (89.7 ft) transepts: 40.01 metres (131.3 ft) |
| Width | nave: 22.75 metres (74.6 ft) transepts: 11.38 metres (37.3 ft) |
| Nave width | 8.6 metres (28 ft), centre nave |
| Nave height | 16.7 metres (55 ft) |
| Number of spires | 2 crossing towers and 4 side towers |
| Bells | 10 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Kirchengemeinde St. Michaelis, Hildesheim (Lutheran), Pfarrgemeinde St. Godehard, Hildesheim (Catholic) |
| Deanery | Hildesheim-Sarstedt (Kirchenkreis), Hildesheim (Dekanat) |
| Synod | Lutheran Church of Hanover, Diocese of Hildesheim |
The Church of St. Michael (called Michaeliskirche in German) is a very old church in Hildesheim, Germany. It is famous for its early Romanesque architecture, which is a style of building from the Middle Ages. This style uses thick walls, round arches, and strong pillars.
Since 1985, St. Michael's Church has been a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. This means it is a special place recognized by the United Nations for its important history and culture. It shares this honor with the nearby Hildesheim Cathedral. Today, St. Michael's is a "shared church" (Simultaneum). This means both Lutheran and Roman Catholic Christians use different parts of the church for their services. The main part is Lutheran, and the crypt (an underground room) is Catholic.
Contents
History of St. Michael's Church
How the Church Was Built
A bishop named Bernward of Hildesheim started building St. Michael's Church. He lived from 996 to 1022. Bishop Bernward wanted to build a monastery for monks on a hill near Hildesheim. This hill was linked to Archangel Michael.
He laid the first stone for the church in 1010. Even though it wasn't finished, he dedicated the building to Michael on September 29, 1022. This was just a few weeks before he passed away.
Finishing the Church
After Bishop Bernward's death, another bishop named Godehard (who died in 1038) continued the work. He finished the church in 1031. On September 29 of that year, he officially dedicated it to Michael again.
The church has a unique design. It has two main areas for singing (called choirs) at both the east and west ends. It also has two "transepts," which are parts of the church that stick out like arms, making the building look like a cross. There are six towers: two large ones over the main crossings and four smaller, tall towers on the sides. Bishop Bernward was buried in the western crypt, which is a special underground burial place.
Changes Over Time
In 1186, the church was rebuilt after a fire. Bishop Adelog of Hildesheim helped rededicate it.
In 1542, the people of Hildesheim became Protestant. St. Michael's then became a Lutheran church. However, the Benedictine monastery continued to operate there until 1803. The monks kept using parts of the church, especially the western choir and crypt.
Rebuilding After War
Sadly, St. Michael's Church was badly damaged during World War II. A British air raid on March 22, 1945, caused a lot of destruction. But people worked hard to rebuild it. Reconstruction started in 1950 and was finished in 1957.
In 1985, the church became a UNESCO World Heritage site. This was a big honor, shared with the Hildesheim Cathedral, its old treasures, and a famous 1000-year-old rosebush.
Architecture and Design
St. Michael's Church is a very important example of early Christian architecture. It is a basilica, which means it has a large central hall with aisles on the sides. It has two choirs and two transepts, with a square tower at each crossing (where the main parts of the church meet). The western choir has a special walkway (ambulatory) and a crypt underneath.
The famous art historian Nikolaus Pevsner said that St. Michael's is the earliest example of a true Romanesque church exterior.
Clever Design
The church's floor plan uses a clever geometric design. The square shape of the transept crossing is the main measuring unit for the whole building. This means everything is built in proportion to that central square. This careful planning makes the church's design very strong and balanced.
Art Inside the Church
The ceiling of the church has a huge painting, about 27.6 meters long and 8.7 meters wide. It shows the Tree of Jesse, which is like a family tree of Jesus. This painting is very old, from around 1130.
The famous Bernward Doors were originally made for St. Michael's. These are large bronze doors with amazing pictures from the Bible carved into them. Today, you can find them at the nearby Cathedral of Hildesheim.
Measurements of the Church
- Total length: 74.75 meters (about 245 feet)
- Total length of the transepts (the "arms"): 40.01 meters (about 131 feet)
- Total width of the transepts: 11.38 meters (about 37 feet)
- Length of the crypt (underground room): 18.36 meters (about 60 feet)
- Length of the nave (main hall): 27.34 meters (about 90 feet)
- Width of the nave including lower aisles (side passages): 22.75 meters (about 75 feet)
- Width of the nave without lower aisles: 8.60 meters (about 28 feet)
- Height of the nave without lower aisles: 16.70 meters (about 55 feet)
- Thickness of the walls: 1.63 meters (about 5 feet)
Where is St. Michael's Church?
St. Michael's Church is located on the western edge of Hildesheim's city center. It sits on a small hill called Michaelishügel ("St. Michael's Hill"). The main entrance is on the south side.
Close to the church, on its west side, is the Magdalenengarten, a beautiful baroque park. You can also reach the church's cloister (a covered walkway) from there. The cloister leads to the church's modern administrative buildings. To the south and east of the hill is Hildesheim's downtown. To the west is the River Innerste, and to the north is the Gymnasium Andreanum school.
Important Burials
- Bernward of Hildesheim (the bishop who started building the church)
See also
- Bernward Column
- Saint Michael in the Catholic Church
Images for kids
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The Bernward Column in St. Michael's (before 1810); reconstruction by Carpiceci/Gallistl
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St. Michael's from inside before restoration in 2005
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The Woehl-organ from 1999
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The wooden ceiling, one of the few large medieval panel paintings that still exist.
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St. Michael's from inside after complete restoration between 2005 and 2010
