Hildesheim Cathedral

Construction 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, The cathedral was built in 872 under Bishop Altfrid as a cruciform three-aisled basilica with a two-story westwork. The building suffered severe fire damage in 1046. File:Krypta815.2.jpg|Foundation of the first cathedral under the crypt dating from 815 File:Hildesheim Cathedral.North.Tower.JPG|Crossing and northern side chapels File:Domkreuzgang.jpg|Cloister, built from 1060 to 1070 File:Hildesheim Domkreuzgang 1845.jpg|Cloister with St. Anne's Chapel, File:Hildesheim Dom 1840.jpg|Westwork before 1840 File:Hildesheim Dom 1890.jpg|Neo-Romanesque westwork, 1890 File:Annenkapelle.jpg|Anne's chapel File:Hildesheim Dom Heziloleuchter.jpg|Hezilo chandelier in the crossing, 2009 Destruction in the Second World War During the aerial bombardment of Hildesheim by the RAF and RCAF in World War II, the main building was almost entirely destroyed; only the westwork and the outer walls survived. based on the model of the westwork of Minden Cathedral, which had also been severely damaged by wartime bombing. In addition, the gatehouse in front of the westwork was reduced by about half. Otherwise, the exterior appeared as it had done before the destruction – in particular, the baroque crossing-tower was rebuilt. On 10 January 2010, the cathedral was closed for the work to begin. During the reconstruction, the basilica of St. Godehard served as the bishop's church (cathedra), as it had in the postwar years. The cathedral renovation was the largest church construction project in Germany. The solemn reopening of the cathedral was on 15 August 2014, coinciding with the beginning of the Diocese's 1200 year jubilee. According to the story, Emperor Louis the Pious had to hold a Mass while out hunting in the middle of the forest. For this purpose, a reliquary of St. Mary which he had with him was hung from the branch of a wild rose. After the mass, the reliquary could not be removed from the branch. The Emperor considered this a sign that the new bishopric should be established here (not in Elze as he had planned) and he should dedicate it to St. Mary, whose symbol is the rose. == Archaeological finds ==

In excavations during the 2010–2014 renovations of the cathedral, ninth-century foundations of the St. Mary's chapel were found. The first cathedral building was a small church measuring 6 × 6 m with an apse to the east. The remains of the first altar were found in the apse. The foundations of this first cathedral building consist of sandstone and are extraordinarily thick. An even older cemetery was found to the west and south. Twenty graves were uncovered, including, in August 2012, the skeleton of a young woman who died around 800, with glass beads (the remnants of a necklace) and a little knife as grave goods. This is the oldest complete burial ever found in Hildesheim cathedral. File:Hildesheimer Dom, Westwerk, Ausgrabungen März 2012.jpg| File:Hildesheimer Dom Grabfund August 2012.jpg| == Interior decoration, art, and treasures ==

: Baptism of Christ in the Jordan and the irminsul as apse cross The cathedral houses numerous works of art. These include the world-famous cast-bronze doors, depicting scenes from the Gospels and the Book of Genesis; and a cast-bronze column depicting scenes from the life of Christ. These bronzeworks date from the early 11th century and were commissioned by Bishop Bernward of Hildesheim. There are also four notable Romanesque wheel chandeliers, also called ' or circular chandeliers, the larger Hezilo chandelier ('), Other treasures include: File:Hildesheim Christussäule.jpg|Bernward Column File:Hildesheimer_Dom_2014-10-01_03.JPG|Bronze baptismal font File:Hildesheim Kathedrale Mariä Himmelfahrt Innen Epiphaniusschrein 2-2.JPG|Shrine of St. Epiphanius File:Hildesheim-Bernward-Dom-Hildesia.JPG|Statue of Bishop Godehard File:Bernwardstür.jpg|Bernward Doors == Organs ==

The history of the organ at Hildesheim Cathedral dates back to the fourteenth century. In 1378, there was an organ in the north aisle, above the chapel of the Three Kings. This instrument was relocated to the Godehard choir during the fifteenth century and eventually sold in 1713. The first large organ was built by Conrad Abtt (Minden) c. 1616/17. The instrument had 31 stops on two manuals and pedal. During the 17th and 18th century, the instrument was rebuilt and expanded. In 1909, Furtwängler & Hammer (Hannover) built a new organ with 54 stops (three manuals and pedal), re-using the organ case from 1617. On March 22, 1945, the organ was destroyed during an air raid. Organ 1960–2010 In 1960, Franz Breil (Dorsten) built a new organ with 52 stops on four manuals and pedal. In 1989, it was partially rebuilt and expanded to 66 stops by Klais (Bonn). In addition, a new antiphonal organ (Chororgel) with 16 stops was built. It is located in the left isle of the cathedral. Both organs can be played from two identical four-manual consoles: the console of the great organ, and a movable console in the nave. == Bells ==

Until the Second World War, the cathedral contained over sixteen ringing and quarter bells. The basis of the pre-war peal was five great bells with the tones F-sharp0, A0, C-sharp1, F-sharp1, G-sharp1. Nine bells of the pre-war peal survived the war; the great Godehard bell in the west tower was so severely damaged in an air raid that it could no longer be rung. The Bernard bell is in the Bell cemetery in Hamburg and was irreparably damaged during transport there. Two bells were capable of being reused: the historical Apostolica bell of bellfounder Johann Martin Roth of Mainz (1765), which could be integrated into the new peal, and another historic bell of Johann Martin Roth, the Nikolaus bell, which was originally hung in the crossing tower and was moved to the Nordparadies in 2010. Refounding of 1960 After the Second World War it was planned to create a 12-toned peal, with six great bells in the west tower and six smaller bells in the crossing tower (the planned tones: G1, B1, C2, E2, F2 and G2). At first only a six tone peal was produced. In 1960 the bellfounder (Heidelberg) cast five new bells, which were installed in the west tower together with the Apostolica bell. In the lower belfry of the tower hung the three deepest bells (1–3), while the three smaller bells (4–6) were in the upper belfry. The new peal (co-ordinated with the bells of the surrounding churches) was a semitone deeper than the original, so the Apostolica bell had to be tuned a semitone lower to fit with the new bells. The new cathedral bells will be named after witnesses of the faith, who enjoy particular veneration in the Diocese of Hildesheim. Thus bell No. 8 will be named for Bishop Altfrid, one of the most important bishops of Hildesheim, who secured large contributions for the construction of the cathedral. Bell No. 9 will be named after Hedwig of Schlesien (or of Andechs), patron of refugees – since many refugees came to Hildesheim after the Second World War and were crucial in shaping it. On 16 November 2013 the new bells were cast by (Karlsruhe). The Cantabona bell is the second biggest of Lower-Saxony after the Christus- und Friedensglocke (Bell of Christ and Peace) in the Marktkirche, Hanover. == World Heritage Site ==

Hildesheim Cathedral was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985, along with St. Michael's Church. == Reopening ==

On 15 August 2014, the cathedral was reopened after restoration. Bishop Norbert Trelle opened the Bernward doors and entered the cathedral, followed by 30 other bishops and guests including the Protestant bishop , Robert Zollitsch, Stephan Weil and Christian Wulff. Trelle said in his sermon: "Die Kirche muss auf die Zukunft hin leben, so wie sie aus der Vergangenheit heraus lebt." (The church has to live towards a future, as it lives from by the past). He added, regarding the situation in Syria: "Während wir hier einen Dom wiedereröffnen, brennen dort die Kirchen." (While we reopen a cathedral here, churches are burnt there). The cathedral was restored to an appearance closer to the original building from the medieval age, for example a ceiling inserted after World War II was removed, and the original floor level restored. A new altar was created by Ulrich Rückriem. ==Location==

Hildesheim Cathedral is situated at the southern middle of the city centre of Hildesheim, on the so-called Domhügel ("Cathedral's Hill"). The main entrances to the cathedral are on the south and north sides. The Roemer- and Pelizaeus-Museum, is very close to the cathedral in the west. Around the hill is the wall of the Domburg. From the north of the Hill is the Michaelishügel ("St. Michael's Hill"), from the northeast is the downtown of Hildesheim and to the west is the River Mühlengraben, a tributary of the Innerste River. On the north of the cathedral is the former government building of the city, on the west the Episcopal Vicariate General of the Diocese, in the south the Gymnasium Josephinum school and on the east the Labour Court of the city. == Bibliography ==