In the city of Hildesheim in the Lower Saxony Land, Germany

 "What one approves, another scorns, And thus his nature each discloses: You find the rosebush full of thorns; I find the thornbush full of roses." — Arthur Guiterman

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(in north-central Germany) The city of Hildesheim in the Lower Saxony Land (state), lies southeast of Hannover on the Innerste River (a tributary of the Leine River) in the foothills of the Harz Mountains. One of the oldest cities in Northern Germany, it was originaly a fort on the trade route between Cologne and Magdeburg. The Holy Roman Emperor Louis the Pious founded the Bishopric of Hildesheim in 815, an event linked with the “thousand-year-old rosebush” (probably more like 300-to-500 years old) that blooms above the east choir of the Hildesheim Cathedral. He also created the first settlement here with a chapel on the so-called Domhügel. The settlement around the cathedral very quickly developed into a town and was granted market rights by King Otto III in 983. Originally the market was held in a street called Alter Markt (Old Market) which still exists today. The first marketplace was laid out around the church St. Andreas. When the city grew further, a larger market place became necessary. (The current marketplace of Hildesheim was laid out at the beginning of the 13th century.) Such great prelates as Bishops Bernward and Gotthard fostered Hildesheim’s development as a cultural center in the 11th century. It became a member of the Hanseatic League and was chartered in 1300. Its bishops were princes of the Holy Roman Empire until 1803. (Hildesheim passed to Prussia in 1803 and then to Hanover in 1815.)

+ Much of this city was damaged or destroyed by bombing during World War II, though some buildings have been restored. Most notable are the Cathedral, with magnificent art treasures from the 11th century, and St. Michael’s Church, with a painted ceiling from the 12th century; both were designated UNESCO World Heritage sites in 1985. Other landmarks include St. Gotthard’s Church, the old Gothic City Hall, and the late 15th-century Tempelhaus. (The Roemer-Pelizaeus Museum has notable Egyptian and Greco-Roman collections.)

+ The spire of St. Andrew’s Church in Hildesheim is the highest church steeple in Lower Saxony (and is recognized as one of the highest steeples in the world). In addition to its numerous churches, Hildesheim is home to a large number of well-preserved half-timbered houses. Most of them can be found in the Neustadtdistrict, but there are some in Moritzberg as well. It is definitely worth visiting the old Waffenschmiedehaus (armory) built in 1548 (at Gelber Stern 21) and the Wernersche House (from 1606) on Godehardsplatz across from St. Godehard Basilica. You will immediately recognize them by their brightly colored carvings on the façades. (The half-timbered houses on the marketplace, however, are only replicas.)
+ Hildesheim is situated on Autobahn Route 7, at the connection point of the North (Hamburg and beyond) with the South of Europe.