Explore the city

Hildesheim's city guides and costumed guides know stories to tell. Let them take you back in time to experience a part of history the way it was in days gone by. The Town Guide's Guild also offers guided tours of Hildesheim in French, Norwegian, Polish and Russian. Guided walks for the blind or in sign language for the hard of hearing are also available.
Please book tours at least 10 days in advance at the Tourist Information or online. An approved guide will conduct a tour for a maximum of 25 people, should numbers be in excess of 25 a second guide will be allocated under the same terms and conditions. Tours take approximately 2 hours. The meeting point can be arranged individually according to your wishes. All group tours cost 70 euros not including entrance fees. A lenghtening of a tour costs 20 euros per hour. A shorter 1 hour tour of the market place only, or bus tours of the region are available. For more information please contact the Tourist Information. You can find our terms and conditions online here.

There has been a building on the site of St Mary's Cathedral since the 9th century, making it one of the oldest cathedrals in Germany. The church is considered the nucleus of the city of Hildesheim – even today, the legendary 1000-year-old rosebush blooms on the cathedral's apse. The recent renovation work has changed the look of the cathedral significantly, restoring the Romanesque style. On adding the cathedral to the World Heritage list, UNESCO reserved particular praise for the series of historical collection pieces. These include the bronze castings of the Bernward Doors and Bernward's Column, which demonstrate Bishop Bernward's tremendous creative power. The Cathedral Museum is part of the historic Hildesheim Cathedral complex. Housing the UNESCO-protected Cathedral Treasury, the museum grants its visitors a fascinating insight into the art of the Middle Ages. In exhibition rooms imbued with a new sense of life, the stunning exhibits are presented within a striking interplay of mediaeval and contemporary art. On tours of the cathedral and museum, you will see artistically and spiritually inspiring artefacts from the Middle Ages, juxtaposed with contemporary architecture. For more information please contact the Hildesheim Cathedral .

St. Michael's Church was built as an monastery church, or Minster, under Bishop Bernward from 1010 to 1022 and was finally completed and officially consecrated by Bishop Godehard in 1033. St. Michael's Church is an impressive example of Romanesque-Ottonian architecture. At first glance, one cannot help but notice the clear, geometric forms, which characterize the outer appearance with an austere symmetry.
Inside St. Michael's Church, which can be considered as a work of art in its own right, one of the real showpieces is the painted wooden ceiling dating from the 13th century, which depicts the lineage of Christ (the Tree of Jesse). The flat ceiling, which is unique in all of Germany, conveys a fascinating impression of Romanesque monumental painting and it is the oldest example of this type of artwork still in existence north of the Alps today. Other treasures include the painted stucco relief on the choir screen (dating from the end of the 12th century) and St. Mary's altar (around 1520). For more information please contact the St. Michael's Church.

Around the world in 80 objects
Join us on a world tour!
Is there anyone who doesn't know the story of Phileas Fogg and Passepartout? Here in Hildesheim you don't need 80 days and a captive balloon to discover the world... The rooms of the Roemer and Pelizaeus Museum (RPM) house thousands of unique objects from all seven continents of the world.
Permanent Egypt exhibition... and if you don't want to travel around the entire globe, you can still take an exciting trip back in time to the Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt in our permanent exhibition. The RPM is primarily known for its collection of internationally significant artefacts from ancient Egypt. Countless unique exhibits, including the world's only life-size statue of Prince Hemiunu from the Old Kingdom, tell the story of civilisation on the Nile from its very beginnings right through the Christian Middle Ages. For more information please contact the Roemer and Pelizaeus Museum.

At 114.5 metres tall, the highest church tower in Lower Saxony soars high above the roofs of the city. Over 360 steps lead up to the viewing platform at a height of 75 metres. Your climb is rewarded with a 360° panoramic view – from here you can see right over the town‘s numerous church towers and far into the surrounding area. For more information please contact the St Andrew´s church tower.

Visit the very first building constructed in a modernist industrial style. When he designed the Fagus Factory in 1911 for the company's owner Carl Benscheidt, the architect Walter Gropius wanted to build much more than just a shoe last factory. With a distinctive combination of steel and glass, the founder of the Bauhaus movement succeeded in giving the building an entirely new appearance, quite different from traditional industrial buildings. This important industrial building has been manufacturing goods for over 100 years. Its shoe last production has been joined by measuring and fire prevention equipment as well as finger-jointing lines. Discover this living monument on an eventful tour of the factory. Visit the new UNESCO Visitor Centre, the Fagus-Gropius Exhibition and the Fagus Gallery. Carefully selected events ensure the cultural quality of your surroundings. Culinary treats are available in the Fagus Gropius Café. For more information please contact the Fagus Factory.

Marienburg Castle (built between 1858 and 1867) will enchant you with its fairytale appearance. It is still owned by the House of Welf today, the oldest royal house in Europe. Guided tours of the castle, including theatrical tours, take you on a journey into the past, while the special exhibition "The Way to the Crown" presents all the Hanoverian royal insignia together for the first time in public. If you also venture up the castle tower, you will be rewarded with an amazing view over the Leine valley. Culinary delights await in the historical ambience of the castle's restaurant. For more information please contact the Marienburg Castle.