HILDESHEIM, Germany

True to form, almost a week later, my photo album is ready to tell you about our one-day jaunt to Hildesheim this past Saturday. When we went to Goslar in January for a weekend get-away, Donica and I noticed that we passed Hildesheim within half an hour after we got on the train. We had heard it was a quaint little town to see, so we bookmarked it as a one-day trip.

It has everything we'd want in a quaint town, with the old market square, half-timbered buildings and the churches. AND IT SNOWED THE ENTIRE TIME (that was for DreamWalker in New Zealand who has never seen snow fall!).

First, the MARKET SQUARE. What it's most known for is this Butchers' Guild Hall from 1529, once considered to be "the most precious half-timbered house in the world." That is, until it went up in flames in 1945, the year I was born! (No, you really can't blame it on me!) It was reconstructed (8 years' worth) to its original state, held together by 7500 wooden pegs!



Then, of course, always the prerequisite Rathaus (Town Hall), from 1268. This is where we ate a wonderful lunch in the Ratskeller, below ground level. That's also where I took yesterday's "Glass" window photo as my appetizer for this post (and my submission to Tuesdays Photos :).

The Butchers' Guild Hall and Rathaus face each other across the square, east and west. On this particular Saturday, in the snow, there was a farmer's market on the square. I'm guessing it's there every Saturday, rain or shine. People always need to "buy and sell" their produce!

On the south side of the square are 2 more wonderful buildings: the Tempelhaus on the left with its Renaissance bay window from 1591, and the Wedekindhaus on the right from 1598. I love these buildings!

Now, the CHURCHES! The two we did NOT go in were St. Andrew's and St. Michael's.


St. Andrew's Gothic church, from 1389, boasts the highest church tower in lower Saxony, measuring 114.35 m. You can climb the 364 steps up to the 75 m. mark for a breath-taking view (if it's not snowing!). It also has one of the largest church organs in northern Germany. But as I said, we didn't step foot inside. Another time, perhaps.




St. Michael's church, from 1010, was under construction until September, which kept us from seeing its famous painted wooden ceiling from the 12th century, portraying Christ's lineage. It was originally an early Roman fortress with its mathematical architecture and has been on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list since 1985. Bishop Bernward, who built the church, lies buried in the crypt.

The church we DID go into, however, was Hildesheim's Dom, St. Mary's Cathedral, from 872, with renovations and additions in the 11th, 12th and 14th centuries. Oh my! Talk about architecture! And its courtyard with graves and cloisters! It, too, is part of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage.

How do you describe a church having a tower that looks like this! And that's just one part of it (you'll have to go to the album for the basilica entrance).

The cathedral's nave looking towards the choir (above).


A chandelier in St. Anthony's Chapel, from 1038, showing the New Jerusalem, bearing witness to the splendor of God's reign after the Last Judgment.


Looking out from the cloisters to the courtyard (above).

The wintered branches of the 1000 year-old rose bush against St. Anne's Chapel from 1440. After the 1945 bombing during WW II, it sent out new shoots from its rootstock in a few weeks' time.

As you know by now, I never know where to start and finish these posts on the places we visit here in Germany (or elsewhere). I never feel I can give them justice. But at least you get a taste of what we saw...with our very own eyes...in the middle of a snowstorm! It doesn't get much better than this, as far as I'm concerned.