Germany – St Mary’s Cathedral and St Michael’s Church at Hildesheim

Hildesheim might be best known for its goth and metal music festival but the city in Lower Saxony boasts a rich history too. The medieval Hildesheim Cathedral and St. Michael’s Church are listed as UNESCO world heritage.

A Journey Back in Time

Hildesheim is more than 1200 years old. The city is home to more than 40 churches. Hildesheim Cathedral and St. Michael’s Church are some of the most notable examples of Romanesque architecture. What was an Episcopal center in the Middle Ages is now a city of 100,000 inhabitants.

Rosy Future

The legendary “Thousand-Year Rosebush” grows on the Hildesheim Cathedral wall. As the story goes, after the cathedral was destroyed by allied bombs in 1945, roses began to blossom among the ruins. Despite its name, scientists believe the rosebush is a “mere” 700 years old.

Cast to Perfection

The double doors on the cathedral’s western side were commissioned by Bishop Bernward of Hildesheim. Dating back to the year 1015, they feature ornate bronze relief work, making them the oldest doors of their kind of the medieval period. The doors are now kept inside to protect them from the elements.

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