Kaiserhaus, Renaissance building at Old Market, Germany
The Kaiserhaus is a Renaissance building at Hildesheim's Old Market featuring an ornate stone facade carved with detailed reliefs. The front is decorated with more than 40 medallions showing Roman emperors and symbolic figures spread across three stories, each level with different themes.
The building was constructed in 1587 as the first stone residential house in Hildesheim and has defined the city's character since. It was destroyed during World War II and later faithfully rebuilt to restore its original form.
The facade displays medallions of Roman emperors, showing how Renaissance people were drawn to classical antiquity and imperial imagery. These carved portraits reveal what educated residents valued and displayed on their homes.
The building stands directly at the Old Market and the ornate facade can be easily viewed on foot from the square. The carved details are best seen in daylight, so plan your visit for daytime hours to appreciate the stonework fully.
Fragments from the original 16th-century fountain and courtyard entrance remain and are now displayed in the city museum. These pieces offer a glimpse of the house's original ornamental details before its wartime destruction.
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