St. Mary's Cathedral, Hildesheim
| Hildesheim Cathedral | |
|---|---|
The cathedral with the prominent westwork, which was restored to a Romanesque appearance when it was rebuilt after the destruction in World War II
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| 52°08′56″N 9°56′50″E / 52.14889°N 9.94722°ECoordinates: 52°08′56″N 9°56′50″E / 52.14889°N 9.94722°E | |
| Location | Hildesheim, Germany |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Website | Website of the Cathedral |
| History | |
| Dedication | Assumption of Mary |
| Architecture | |
| Status | Active |
| Functional status | Cathedral |
| Style | Romanesque with some Gothic parts |
| Groundbreaking | 1110s |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 76,16 m,ft |
| Width | 44,69 m,ft |
| Height | 40 m,ft |
| Number of spires | 1 crossing tower |
| Spire height | 17,20 m,ft |
| Bells | 12 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Diocese of Hildesheim |
| Official name | St. Mary's Cathedral and St. Michael's Church at Hildesheim |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | i, ii, iii |
| Designated | 1985 (9th session) |
| Reference no. | 187 |
| Region | Europe and North America |
Hildesheim Cathedral (German: Hildesheimer Dom), officially the Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary (German: St. Mariä Himmelfahrt), is a medieval Catholic cathedral in the city centre of Hildesheim, Germany, that has been on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list since 1985, together with the nearby St. Michael's Church.
The cathedral church was built between 1010 and 1020 in the Romanesque style. It follows a symmetrical plan with two apses, that is characteristic of Ottonian Romanesque architecture in Old Saxony. The cathedral's treasures include world-famous artworks, bronzeworks from the time of Bishop Bernward, Bernward Doors and Bernward Column, as well as two of the four notable Romanesque wheel chandeliers: the Hezilo chandelier and the Azelin chandelier.
After renovations and extensions in the 11th, 12th and 14th centuries, the cathedral was completely destroyed during an air raid on 22 March 1945, and rebuilt from 1950 to 1960. A thorough renovation of the cathedral began in 2010, including technical and conservation measures. Some of the cathedral's treasures have been shown further afield, including at an exhibition at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. The cathedral was reopened on 15 August 2014.
After the establishment of the diocese of Hildesheim in 815 by Louis the Pious, a Chapel of St. Mary was built on the locations of the modern apse. Bishop Gunthar of Hildesheim, who was in office from 815 to 834, had a small basilica with two round towers built immediately to the south of the chapel, which he dedicated to Saint Cecilia. This served as the original cathedral and Stift church. The first four bishops were buried there. Only traces of the foundations of these two buildings remain. An older Hildesheim parish church probably once stood on the site of the Chapel of Saint Stephen next to the gatehouse at the eastern entrance to the chapel of St. Hellweg, which might date back to Hildegrim of Châlons and his expedition to East Saxony.
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