Horner Linde, Ancient linden tree in Horn-Lehe, Germany

The Horner Linde stands on the cemetery in front of the Church Zum Heiligen Kreuz in Bremen-Horn-Lehe. Three stems have grown together into one trunk more than four metres across. Until the late 1960s a large circular bench surrounded the tree; today several individual benches stand around it, and a plaque recalls its history.

First documented in 1380, the tree served as a judicial meeting place where medieval assemblies called Thing were held. These gatherings shaped community decisions and legal matters in early Bremen.

The name refers to Dutch settlers who arrived in the 12th century and shaped the region for generations. A commemorative plaque at the site tells this story of early settlement and community.

The tree stands on the cemetery in front of the Church of the Holy Cross in Horn-Lehe. Since spring 2026 a support frame has been mounted around it to protect both the tree and cemetery visitors, so expect scaffolding near the trunk. Individual benches replace the large circular bench that surrounded the tree until the late 1960s.

At approximately 900 years old, this specimen ranks among Bremen's oldest living trees and counts among Northern Germany's most ancient. Its endurance across centuries makes it a rare witness to periods most people only read about in books.