Aegidienkirche

Hanover


This former Gothic church (dating from 1347) was never repaired or reconstructed after it was bombed in 1943, and today stands as a reminder of the horrors of war. Inside the ruin is the Peace Bell, donated by sister city Hiroshima. Every 6 August at 8.15am, the date and time of the atomic detonation at Hiroshima, a delegation from both cities meets here to ring the bell.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Hanover attractions

1. Museum August Kestner

0.16 MILES

Decorative arts through the ages are the focal point of the medium-sized Kestner Museum, where you’ll see everything from Bauhaus-style cutlery to an…

2. Neues Rathaus

0.17 MILES

An excellent way to get your bearings in Hanover is to visit the Neues Rathaus (built 1901–13) and ascend 98m in the curved elevator (the only one of its…

3. Altes Rathaus

0.19 MILES

Much of it is a postwar fake, but the Altes Rathaus, begun in 1455, still has some original elements. Today it houses offices and a small restaurant.

4. Marktkirche

0.24 MILES

The red-brick Gothic Marktkirche St Georgii et Jacobi (1349–59), located in the Market Sq, is Hanover's largest Lutheran church. Its foundations date back…

5. Oskar-Winter-Brunnen

0.32 MILES

Make a wish and turn the small brass ring embedded in the ironwork of this ornate 1896 fountain three times and – according to local legend – your wish…

6. Leibnizhaus

0.32 MILES

The Renaissance facade of the Leibnizhaus is a reconstruction but the house was once the home of mathematician and philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz …

7. Historische Museum Hannover

0.33 MILES

This museum of local history had just one exhibit hall open at research time; it's currently undergoing renovations for its permanent exhibits, due to…

8. Ballhof

0.34 MILES

Originally built for 17th-century games similar to badminton, the Ballhof (1649–64) was modernised inside in the 1970s and today serves as a venue for…