Hildesheim

Hildesheim, an ancient town on the river Innerste in Hanover, North Germany, 18 miles S.E. of the capital of the province. It is a quaint old place, with narrow streets overhanging wooden houses of the mediaeval type, and many fine churches, such as the Catholic cathedral (founded in 818, and actually built two hundred years later), St. Godebard's, a Romanesque structure of about the same date, St. Michael's, and St. Magdalene's, containing relics of Bishop Bernward, with several others of the Protestant cult. There are also a town hall of the 15th century, the Georgstift, a retreat for the daughters of state officials, and a number of other public institutions. Hildesheim does not, come into historical prominence until 822, when it became the seat of a bishopric, which maintained independence for nearly 1,000 years. The industries are linen-weaving, lacquer-making, distilling, carriage-building, etc. In 1868 a remarkable treasure of silver-plate of the Augustan period, supposed to have belonged to Drusus, was dug up on a neighbouring hillside.