St. Michael's Church is the other half of Hildesheim's UNESCO designation, and in some ways it is the more extraordinary building. Built between 1001 and 1033 under Bishop Bernward (who is buried in its crypt), it is a textbook example of Ottonian Romanesque architecture — its symmetrical towers, double-ended nave, and austere stonework defined a style that would influence church building across northern Germany for two centuries.
The church suffered catastrophic damage in the 1945 bombing and was almost entirely rebuilt during the 1950s. The reconstruction was meticulously faithful to the original plans, making it one of the most successful post-war restorations in Germany. The painted ceiling and the crypt with Bernward's sarcophagus are the highlights; the building as a whole rewards slow walking and careful looking.