Hildesheim
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| Statistics | |
|---|---|
| State: | Lower Saxony |
| Regierungsbezirk: | Hanover |
| District: | Hildesheim |
| Area: | 92.96 km² |
| Population: | 103,738(2002) |
| Population density: | 1,113/km² |
| Elevation: | 78 m |
| Postal code: | 31001-31141 (old: 3200) |
| Area/distance code: | 051-21 |
| Location: | Template:Coor dm |
| Municipal code: | 03254021 |
| Car designation: | HI
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| Arrangement of the city: | 18 districts |
| Address of the city administration: | 1 Markt Hildesheim 31134 |
| Website: | www.hildesheim.de |
Hildesheim is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located in the district of Hildesheim, about 25 km southeast of Hannover on the banks of the Innerste river, which is a small affluent of the Leine river. Population: 106,100 (1999).
It is accessed by the Autobahn A7 linking Kassel, Göttingen and Hanover and routes 1, 6, 243 and 494
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History
The town became a bishopric in 815. For four centuries the clergy ruled Hildesheim, before a town hall was built and the citizens gained some influence. In 1367 Hildesheim became a member of the Hanseatic League.
The city was heavily damaged by air raids in 1945. The centre, which had retained its medieval character until then, ceased to exist. It was rebuilt in a completely different style, and concrete houses took the place of the destroyed buildings. In the late 1970s the reconstruction of the historic centre began: The concrete buildings were torn down and replaced by copies of the old buildings.
Also in the 1970s, the University of Hildesheim was founded.
The cathedral of Hildesheim is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was built in the 9th century, but damaged in 1945; it was reconstructed soon after the war. A rose tree entwines itself around the apsis, claimed to have been planted simultaneously with the foundation of the church. It was also destroyed in 1945, but the roots survived and began to sprout anew. The roman St. Michael's Church build in 1010 to 1022 is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Impressions
Missing image Knochenhaueramtshaus.jpg Knochenhaueramtshaus on market place in Hildesheim, ca. 1895 Missing image Umgestuelpterzuckhut.jpg Half Timbered house (Umgestülpter Zuckerhut) destroyed in 1945 by the RAF, ca. 1900 Missing image Townhall-hildesheim.jpg Hildesheim, market place with town hall and Rolandbrunnen, ca. 1895 Missing image St_michaelis.jpg St. Michael's Church in Hildesheim - World Heritage Missing image St-andreas.jpg St. Andreas, 376 feet high spire |
Districts
- 001 Mitte (Central)
- 002 Neustadt
- 003 Nord (north) with Steuerwald
- 004 Süd (south)
- 005 Ost (east)
- 006 Galgenberg and Marienburger Höhe
- 007 Drispenstedt ¹
- 008 West (west)
- 009 Moritzberg
- 010 Neuhof with Hildesheimer Wald ²
- 011 Ochtersum ¹
- 012 Marienrode ²
- 013 Sorsum ¹
- 014 Himmelsthür ¹
- 015 Bavenstedt ¹
- 016 Einum ¹
- 017 Achtum-Uppen ¹
- 018 Itzum ¹
- 019 Marienburg
¹ one district ² districts with two districts
Incorporations
- 1911: Moritzberg
- 1912: Steuerwald
- 1938: Drispenstedt and Neuhof
- 1971: Ochtersum
- 1974: Achtum-Uppen, Bavenstedt, Einum, Himmelsthür, Itzum, Marienburg, Marienrode and Sorsum
Population history
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1400 | ca. 6,000 |
| 1450 | ca. 8,000 |
| 1648 | ca. 5,500 |
| 1803 | 11,108 |
| 1825 | 12,630 |
| 1849 | 14,651 |
| 1871 | 20,801 |
| December 1, 1875 ¹ | 22,581 |
| December 1, 1890 ¹ | 33,481 |
| December 1, 1900 ¹ | 42,973 |
| December 1, 1910 ¹ | 50,239 |
| October 8, 1919 ¹ | 53,499 |
| June 16, 1925 ¹ | 58,522 |
| June 16, 1933 ¹ | 62,519 |
| May 17, 1939 ¹ | 72,101 |
| September 13, 1950 ¹ | 65,531 |
| June 6, 1961 ¹ | 96,296 |
| December 31, 1970 | 93,400 |
| June 30, 1975 | 106,000 |
| June 30, 1980 | 102,700 |
| June 30, 1985 | 100,900 |
| January 1, 1989 | 103,512 |
| June 30, 1997 | 105,700 |
| December 31, 2002 | 103,448 |
¹ census data
Historical mayors of Hildesheim
- 1803-1843: Georg Otto Ferdinand Lohde
- 1843-1848: Dr. Carl Christoph Lüntzel
- 1848: Commissioned by Oberg, Starke and Wynecken
- 1848-1852: Amtsassessor Domeier
- 1853-1875: Paul Johann Friedrich Boysen
- 1876-1895: Gustav Struckmann
- 1895-1896: Hans Ukert, not as mayor
- 1896-1909: Gustav Struckmann, reelected
- 1909-1937: Dr. Ernst Ehrlicher
- 1945-1946: Erich Bruschke
- 1946-1950: Albin Hunger
- 1950-1952: Friedrich Lekve
- 1952-1958: Albin Hunger, reelected
- 1958-1959: Dr. Paul Lienke
- 1959-1964: Martin Boyken
- 1964-1968: Friedrich Nämsch
- 1968-1972: Martin Boyken, reelected
- 1972-1975: Friedrich Nämsch, Oberbürgermeister reelected
- 1975-1981: Heiko Klinge
- 1981-1991: Gerold Klemke
- 1991-2001: Kurt Machens
- 2001-present: Dr. Ulrich Kumme
Twinnings
- Angoulême, France, since 1965
- El Minia, Egypt, sin ce1975
- Weston-super-Mare, England, since 1983
- Padang, Indonesia, co-op city since 1988
- Halle, Saxony-Anhalt, friend partnership since 1990a
- Gelendjik, Russia, since 1992
- North Somerset, England, since 1997
- Pavia, Italy, since 2000
Places of Interest
- Thousand-Year-Old Rosebush: 1,000 years old. That's the age the world's oldest living rose is thought to be. Today it continues to flourish on the wall of the Hildesheim Cathedral.
- Cathedral (UNESCO World Heritage Site) - with ancient bronze doors (Bernwards door) (c. 1015)
- St. Michael's Church (UNESCO World Heritage Site) - one of the most beautiful early romanic churches in Germany and a unique example of ottonic architecture
- Knochenhaueramtshaus (butchers guild house): most beautiful and finest specimen of a wooden building of the world
- Historical market place: the most beautiful market place in the world
- St. Andreas church: highest church steeple of Lower Saxony
- The Roemer- and Pelizaeus-Museum: significant collections from the ancient Egypt and Peru and spectacular special exhibitions organized every year
- Museum of the Cathedral: Cathedral Treasure, also an UNESCO-cultural heritage
- Theatre: very versatile and offers opera, operetta and musicals, drama, ballet and concerts
- Rose Route: all other places of interest in Hildesheim: e.g. the charming medieval-appearing half-timbered houses and the old Jewish quarter
Recommended Day Trips:
- Castle Marienburg (10 miles/ 15 km): a neo-gothic-romantic medieval fairy tale castle (owned by Prince Ernst August of Hanover and Princess Caroline of Monaco)
- Castle Hämelschenburg (40 miles/ 60 km): medieval castle of Teutonic Knights
- Hamelin (30 miles/ 50 km): the beautiful town is famous for the folk tale of the Pied Piper of Hamelin
Events of International Interest
- M'era Luna Festival, Europe's most important event of the gothic and wave scene
- JAzz festival every May or June
Economy & Transportation
Notable multinational corporations - besides many strong medium-sized companies - in Hildesheim are Blaupunkt, Bosch, Krupp, Thyssen, Fairshild, Phoenix and Coca-Cola.
Hildesheim has a very good traffic infrastructure: it is a regional hub for interstate roads and railroad (high speed railroad station), is connected to the motorway (Autobahn), has a harbor at the artificial waterway Mittellandkanal and an airport.
Notable People from Hildesheim
- holy Saint Godehard aka St. Gotthard: bishop of Hildesheim
- holy St. Bernward: bishop of Hildesheim
- Didrik Pining: traveled to The Americas in 1473 - 20 years before Christopher Columbus
- Frederick Hornemann: African explorer
- Sir Hans Adolf Krebs: Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine in 1953
- Thomas Quasthoff: bass-baritone singer
- The twins Wolfgang and Christoph Lauenstein: Winner of the Academy Awards in 1989 for their movie Balance
- Diane Kruger: Supermodel and actress - Troy with Brad Pitt
External links
- The city's own website. (http://www.hildesheim.de/)
- Article about Hildesheim (http://www.oldandsold.com/articles04/europe15.shtml)
- Travel guide for Hildesheim (http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Germany/Land_Niedersachsen/Hildesheim-53576/TravelGuide-Hildesheim.html)de:Hildesheim
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