Top 15 Attractions in Hildesheim, Germany

Up to 1945, the city of Hildesheim in Lower Saxony was renowned for its 1,900 half-timbered houses. Many of these were destroyed towards the end of the Second World War, leading to the construction of modern concrete buildings. However, since the 1980s, the ensemble of Renaissance guildhalls, municipal structures, and affluent residences on the Historic Market Square has been magnificently restored.

Furthermore, Hildesheim is recognized on the UNESCO World Heritage list for St Michael’s Church and St Mary’s Cathedral, two exceptional Ottonian monuments from the High Middle Ages, abundantly adorned with preserved and restored art from that era. The cathedral treasury serves as a museum, beaming with treasures from the Holy Roman Empire.

Let us explore the best things to do in Hildesheim:

1. St Michael’s Church

As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this church was completed in the early 11th century in the Ottonian style, which preceded the Romanesque period in Germany.

The architectural layout is distinctive, featuring two choirs, east and west, with both transepts crowned by a central square tower and two flanking circular towers.

While in the nave, visitors can observe the unique 13th-century painted wooden ceiling, which depicts the Tree of Jesse (the family tree of Christ), a one-of-a-kind feature north of the Alps. The alternating patterns of blocks on the columns and the simple cubic capitals exemplify the characteristics of Ottonian design.

In front of the west choir, the choir screen from the late 12th century showcases expert stucco work with ornamental patterns, mythical creatures, and angelic figures.

2. St Mary’s Cathedral

Hildesheim’s Romanesque cathedral was destroyed during the Second World War, yet it was rapidly restored in the 1950s and underwent additional restoration in recent years.

The monument was reopened in 2014 and is part of the same UNESCO Site as St Michael’s Church.

The original structure was completed at the beginning of the 11th century and, similar to St Michael’s, features a symmetrical layout with two apses.

The west portal is adorned with the famous Bernward Doors, a pair of Ottonian or Romanesque bronze doors from the early 11th century, which illustrate biblical scenes created using the lost wax process.

The crypt, which survived the war, houses a 12th-century shrine dedicated to the local saint Godehard, alongside the exquisite Ottonian Bernward column from the early 1000s and a 13th-century bronze baptismal font, featuring depictions of the baptism of Jesus and the Israelites crossing the Red Sea.

3. Knochenhaueramtshaus

This is the most photographed half-timbered house in Hildesheim, originally constructed in 1529 on the Historic Market Place. The multi-level structure features a prominent slate-clad gable and served as the butchers’ guildhall of the old city, embellished with intricate decorations on its carved corbels and above the windows.

Interestingly, the monument that stands today is a reconstruction, barely over 30 years old.

The original structure was lost to a fire during an air raid in the Second World War.

From 1986, it was meticulously rebuilt both internally and externally at considerable expense.

Approximately 7,500 wooden pegs and 19,000 roof tiles were used in its restoration.

Within, there is a hotel, restaurant, and municipal museum showcasing artifacts like the Medieval city seal.

4. Historic Market Place

It may be hard to believe, but in the years following the Second World War, the Historic Market Place was surrounded by modern concrete structures.

Only two historical monuments, the city hall and the 14th-century Tempelhaus, were rehabilitated.

However, the reconstruction of Knochenhaueramtshaus catalyzed a series of restorations, reviving other buildings, such as the Bäckeramtshaus (Bakers’ Guildhall) and the stunning Wedekindhaus, a distinguished patrician residence from the late 16th century.

Much of the funding for these projects originated from contributions by Hildesheim’s citizens, who also donated historical prints and photographs to ensure the reconstructions were as authentic as possible.

The beautiful Renaissance fountain from 1542 was later restored, completing the picturesque scene.

5. Rathaus

The Gothic city hall was constructed with local sandstone in the latter half of the 13th century, classifying it among the oldest municipal buildings in Germany.

The structure was damaged in 1945 but was promptly restored, reopening in 1954. Notably, the imposing Lilie tower, which retains its appearance from the 13th century, suffered minimal damage.

On its eastern wall, a Medieval inscription indicates the length of a yarn measure for the market.

The rest of the building exhibits a Late Gothic design from the 15th century, featuring a crow-stepped gable and an ogival arcade.

The city hall’s glockenspiel can be enjoyed at 12:00, 13:00, and 17:00, along with 09:00 on market days.

6. Hildesheim Cathedral Museum

During the recent renovation of the cathedral, its treasures were exhibited in museums worldwide, but they have since returned to the museum, which reopened in 2015. With various vestments, vessels, books, paintings, sculptures, and reliquaries, visitors can marvel at a millennium of liturgical art.

The most captivating pieces date back to the era of Bernward of Hildesheim, who served as bishop at the turn of the 11th century.

Among these treasures are the exquisite Rich Bernward Gospels, a beautifully crafted evangeliary (book) composed of 232 parchment pages and an intricately carved oak cover.

Additionally, there is the Cross of Bernward, elaborately cast in gold and adorned with pearls, crystals, and gemstones.

7. Roemer- und Pelizaeus-Museum Hildesheim

This museum of world cultures was established in 1844 and relocated to a new building in the year 2000. In the early 20th century, the collection was significantly enhanced through a donation of Egyptian antiquities by banker Wilhelm Pelizaeus, who spent a large portion of his life in Cairo.

Many of the artifacts originate from the Old Kingdom up to 2170 BC, constituting the most significant collection of items from that period outside of Cairo and Boston.

The exhibits include statues, sarcophagi, wall reliefs, busts, and various smaller carved artifacts.

A highlight is the 4th-dynasty statue of Hemiunu, believed to have been the architect of the Great Pyramid of Giza.

Visitors can also appreciate the museum’s Peruvian art collection and its extensive assortment of Chinese porcelain, ranking as the second largest in Europe.

8. Half-Timbered Houses

Outside the city center, numerous beautiful half-timbered houses survived the war intact.

Areas where original Medieval and Renaissance buildings can be found include Hildesheimer Neustadt, Moritzburg to the west, and Brühl to the south.

Almost every historical building boasts its distinctive style, and upon closer inspection, one can discover centuries-old inscriptions and carvings.

One notable structure deserving of attention is the Waffenschmiedehaus (Weaponsmith’s House) on Gelber Stern, decorated with vibrant Renaissance sculpture and featuring the coat of arms of the armourers’ guild.

Also located in the south on Godehardsplatz is the Wernesche Haus, a burgher residence from the early 17th century, embellished with friezes representing hope, faith, charity, and patience.

9. St Andreas

The church of St Andreas, located on the square of the same name, boasts the tallest church tower in all of Lower Saxony, reaching a height of 114.5 meters.

The building dates back to the 11th century, featuring a Romanesque westwork that transitions into a Gothic nave, designed to emulate the grand cathedrals of northern France.

In addition to the original Romanesque structure, the tower was initially completed in the early 16th century and subsequently extended to its current height in 1883. A key highlight of any visit is the opportunity to ascend the 364 steps to the summit for a panoramic view of the city and the expansive Lower Saxony countryside, including the Harz mountain range.

10. Umgestülpter Zuckerhut

Situated in the northeastern corner of Andreasplatz, opposite the church, is another charming half-timbered structure.

Translating to “Inverted Sugarloaf,” this top-heavy home with exaggerated eaves was originally constructed in the early 16th century.

It is distinctive for its two cantilevered upper levels, which are significantly larger than the ground floor, representing one of Hildesheim’s most recent reconstructions.

The original building was lost in the firebomb raid on March 22, 1945, which devastated much of the city.

Reconstruction did not occur until 2009, and since 2010, the house has housed a quaint café.

11. Magdalenengarten

Situated just past St Michael’s Church, along a section of Hildesheim’s western moat and rampart, is one of the oldest parks in Lower Saxony.

This site was once a garden for an adjacent monastery, Magdalenenkloster, and in the 1720s, it was redesigned in a geometric Baroque layout.

This design was eventually lost when the original monastery was repurposed as an asylum in the 19th century, although a faithful restoration was conducted in the early 2000s based on historical prints and paintings.

The classical parterre garden is organized into eight squares, interspersed with a 100-meter path.

Half of these squares are dedicated to a rosarium, comprising more than 1,500 individual rosebushes.

Another square features a herb garden, while Baroque statues, such as an 18th-century putto and a statue of the Roman goddess Ceres, grace the park.

12. St Godehard

Proceeding south from the cathedral, visitors will encounter another magnificent Romanesque church.

In contrast to many other monuments in the city, the Church of St Godehard, dating from the 12th century, remained largely unaffected by wartime destruction.

Outside, take a moment to appreciate the northwestern portal, which features a tympanum intricately carved with Christ flanked by saints and former Hildesheim bishops Godehard and Epiphanus.

Additionally, observe the figurative sculpted capitals on the columns within the nave, along with the statue of St Godehard, the choir stalls, and the crucifixion group on the southern transept wall, all of which belong to the Late Gothic period.

At the crossing, direct your gaze upwards to the chandelier, a gift from Queen Marie of Saxe-Altenburg in 1864.

13. Schloss Marienburg

For a delightful day trip, consider visiting Schloss Marienburg, a Gothic Revival castle constructed in the mid-19th century, located just 15 minutes west of Hildesheim.

The castle was erected over nearly a decade, concluding in 1867, as a birthday gift from King George V of Hanover to his wife, Marie of Saxe-Altenburg.

The property remains in the possession of one of their direct descendants, Prince Ernst August of Hanover.

The museum located within the castle narrates the history of the House of Hanover, offering visitors a chance to admire exquisite 18th-century silverware, the ornately decorated Queen’s library, and an expansive kitchen filled with large copper vessels and antique bakeware.

14. Wildgatter Hildesheim

Located on a 322-meter hill in the southern Ochtersum district, this animal park offers a serene environment amidst forests, ponds, and streams.

The habitats at Wildgatter span six hectares, with enclosures connected by wooded trails.

As you stroll through the park, expect to encounter moufflons, wild boars, red deer, fallow deer, sika deer, pygmy goats, and ferrets.

The park also supports a rescue station for injured birds of prey unable to be returned to their natural habitats.

Visiting in the spring enhances the experience, as there is a good chance of spotting baby animals such as piglets and fawns.

15. Christmas Market

Following its restoration, the Historic Market Square has become a picturesque backdrop for an enchanting Christmas market that runs from the end of November to the end of December.

An annual highlight is the Weihnachtspyramide (Christmas Pyramid), a stunning 10-meter-tall structure illuminated alongside a tree adorned with 7,500 LEDs.

The quaint huts within the square reflect the half-timbered style characteristic of Hildesheim and offer handmade decorations and toys, in addition to traditional Christmas delicacies such as steaming hot mulled wine (Glühwein) and gingerbread (Lebkuchen).