Hildesheim - Umgestülpter Zuckerhut

Louis the Pious founded the bishopric of Hildesheim in 815. The settlement developed into a town and was granted market rights by King Otto III in 983. Craftsmen and merchants were attracted and the city developed into an important community. By 1167, Hildesheim was an almost completely walled market settlement.

At the beginning of the 13th century, Hildesheim had about 5,000 inhabitants, and when Hildesheim received its city charter in 1249, it was one of the largest cities in northern Germany. The clergy ruled Hildesheim for four centuries before a town hall was built and the citizens gained influence and independence. In 1367, Hildesheim became a member of the Hanseatic League. But what is now called Hildesheim was various small "suburbs". After centuries of (sometimes armed) disputes, it was not until the end of the 16th century that a union was created and subsequently at least the inner wall was taken down Old and New Town.
During the Thirty Years' War, Hildesheim was besieged and occupied several times. In 1813, after the Napoleonic Wars, the town became part of the Kingdom of Hanover, which was annexed by the Kingdom of Prussia as a province after the Austro-Prussian War in 1866.

The air raids on Hildesheim in 1944/45 destroyed large parts of the city. Of the 1500 half-timbered houses, only 200 remained. 90 percent of the historic old town was destroyed in the firestorm.

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The "Umgestülte Zuckerhut" (Upended Sugarloaf) is a small half-timbered building characterized by bold projections on three facade fronts. The inverted conical shape, which widens upwards in the view, as a result, is said to be reminiscent of an upside-down sugar loaf. The reason for the unusual construction method was the utilization of a small plot of land. The first floor of the house has a floor area of only 17m², while the second floor has an area of 29m².

The original half-timbered building had been built around 1510. It was destroyed during the air raid on Hildesheim on March 22, 1945.

The 2009-2010 reconstruction of the Umgestülpter Zuckerhut was not limited to the exterior of the facades alone but included the complete carpentry construction.