Hildesheim Cathedral

Hildesheim Cathedral, the Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985 together with nearby St. Michael's Church. It holds bronze masterpieces made around the year 1000, a gilded Romanesque chandelier more than six meters across and, on the outer wall of the apse, the famous Thousand-Year Rose. Rebuilt after World War II and carefully restored between 2010 and 2014, it is one of the most rewarding stops in northern Germany for anyone interested in medieval art.

Where it is and how to get there

Hildesheim is in Lower Saxony, about 20 miles (30 km) southeast of Hanover. From Hanover, S-Bahn lines S3 and S4 and the regional RE10 run to Hildesheim Hauptbahnhof, so the trip is covered by the Deutschlandticket; some ICE trains also stop here on the way from Braunschweig. From the station, take bus 1, 2 or 4 to the Bohlweg stop and walk about 400 meters to the cathedral close. There is no visitor parking on the Domhof itself; the nearest paid garages are about a five-minute walk away. Hildesheim works well as a half-day or day trip from Hanover.

A thousand years of history

The diocese of Hildesheim was founded in 815, and a three-aisled basilica was built here in 872. Its most influential figure was Bishop Bernward (993–1022), a scholar and patron of the arts who commissioned the cathedral's famous bronzes. In March 1945, Allied bombing destroyed almost everything except the westwork, parts of the arcades and the outer walls; the crypt survived. After rebuilding, Hildesheim's was the only cathedral in Germany that had to be consecrated again. A major renovation closed the building from 2010 until its reopening on August 15, 2014.

What to see inside

• Bernward Doors (1015): two bronze door leaves 15.5 feet (4.72 m) tall, with 16 relief panels telling the biblical story of salvation. They are considered the oldest medieval bronze doors decorated with figures.
• Christ Column: commissioned by Bernward around 1000, it shows 28 scenes from the life of Jesus spiraling up the shaft.
• Hezilo Chandelier (1061): a wheel chandelier over six meters in diameter that represents the Heavenly Jerusalem, with twelve towers and 72 candles.
• Bronze baptismal font from around 1225 and the Thietmar Chandelier in the choir.
• Crypt with the gilded shrine of St. Godehard from about 1140.
• Cloister, one of the few in Germany with an upper story, surrounding the Gothic St. Anne's Chapel.

The Thousand-Year Rose

Growing against the apse in the cloister courtyard is a dog rose said to be the oldest living rose in the world; it has been documented continuously for at least 400 years. Legend links it to the founding of the diocese in 815. After the 1945 bombing it burned down to a stump, yet eight weeks later 25 new shoots appeared from the roots. The cathedral says it usually blooms in late May for about two weeks, depending on the weather.

Opening hours, tickets and tours

The cathedral is open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday noon to 5:30 p.m.; the cathedral website lists fees only for tours. Public tours in German run Friday to Sunday at 3 p.m. and cost €5; group tours can be booked in other languages. The Cathedral Museum, set around the cloister, opens Tuesday to Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is €7 for adults, free for visitors up to 25, and free for everyone on the first Tuesday of the month (as of October 2026). The museum, foyer and cathedral close are wheelchair accessible.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes. Few places let you stand this close to Ottonian bronze art of world rank, and the combination with St. Michael's makes Hildesheim one of Germany's most compact UNESCO sites. Allow two to three hours. Nearby you can see St. Michael's Church, the rebuilt Market Square with the Butchers' Guild Hall, and the Egyptian collection of the Roemer- and Pelizaeus-Museum.