St. Lamberti, Hildesheim

St. Lamberti is a parish and church in Hildesheim, Germany, the parish of the town's (new town). It is named after Lambert of Maastricht, the patron saint of Hildesheim. The church is a late Gothic building, the only hall church of the town. Since the Reformation, it has been a Lutheran parish church. It is situated in the Goschenstraße (Goschen Road), on the Neustädter Markt (New town market).HistoryThe Hildesheim town seal of 1300 depicts the previous twin-towered Romanesque church on the site; while excavations in the summer of 1952 revealed that the first Church St Lamberti was similar in design to the nearby Godehardikirche with the cruciform design of a Romanesque basilica. To a degree, this plan corresponds to the design of the present church; the crossing of the older church corresponds exactly to the site between present nave and chancel; the present church has side aisles, but no transepts to form a true crossing.The foundation stone for the new building was laid (according to an inscription on the north eastern buttresses of the choir) on 13 May 1474. On completion of the choir in 1488, the church was consecrated and dedicated to Lambert of Maastricht; however overall completion was to take over 30 years; during this period, those parts not yet demolished of the older church continue to be used. The nave, with its rib vault of seven bays was completed in 1505.