Hildesheim, Germany

St. Godehard Basilica, Hildesheim, Germany (cc)

Hildesheim Travel Guide

Introduction

Hildesheim is one of the oldest cities in northern Germany, situated on the river Innerste, a tributary of the Leine. It is best known for its rich store of half-timbered houses and Early Romanesque buildings, and a beautifully restored market square that was once considered to be among the loveliest in the world and upon which stand some of the city's most prominent buildings – the Butchers' Guildhall, the City Hall and Tempelhaus among them. There are also historic streets here worth visiting, particularly in the Jewish quarter: Kesslerstrasse, Hinter Brühl Street, Lappenberg Street, Wollenweberstrasse and Am Kehrwieder Lane come to mind, all of them hugely atmospheric, all of them lined with picturesque timber-framed buildings. And then there's the city's string of triumphal Romanesque churches, two of which, St. Mary's Catholic Cathedral and St. Michael's Church, are UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites.

Location

Hildesheim is located 30 kilometers (18 miles) southeast of Hanover, in the German State of Lower Saxony, with autobahn links to Kassel, Göttingen and Hanover.

How to Get There

Sightseeing

Neighborhoods

How to Get Around

Where to Stay

Where to Eat

Where to Party

Essential Information

Nearby Destinations

How to Get There

Sightseeing

Main Neighborhoods

Marktplatz -

Michaelishügel -

Brühl Area -

Sorsum -

How to Get Around

Where to Party

Where to Eat

Where to Stay

Trivia

Hildesheim has associations to Oskar Schindler, whose contribution to saving the lives of Jews during World War II is well documented, and on whose life during the war years the film Schindler's List is based. Schindler lived and ultimately died in 1974 in Hildesheim.

Know Before You Go