My first thought of Diekholzen in Lower Saxony was that there wasn’t too much to see. How could it possibly compare to neighboring Hildesheim, a town with its own UNESCO site.
Sometimes first impressions can last forever. Other times you realize that you made a mistake. And I can wholeheartedly admit that I was wrong about Diekholzen — there is stuff to see and do.
What’s worse is, I’m brought right back to the eternal question: what came first, the chicken or the egg? No, that’s not it — the question is: the natural side of Diekholzen, or the man-made parts of town?
Let’s go with… the nature part of Diekholzen. The town lies within the Nature Reserve Schwarze Heide, an area with an extensive network of hiking trails. Take your time learning about the local flora and fauna, you couldn’t possibly be in that much of a rush.
Blah, blah, blah, flowers, blah, blah bird watching. ;-)
I’m just joking — the natural landscape is beautiful; and one of the best things about Lower Saxony is that much of it can be seen on a bike. So, even if you don’t feel like walking, you can still enjoy a lot of Diekholzen’s countryside and the Hildesheim Forest (and even to the nearby old Jewish cemetery).
Within town are a number of fantastically old buildings. OK, so maybe the Evangelical Church of the Resurrection didn’t come along until the mid-20th century, but its mosaic altar is still an interesting piece to see.
For Diekholzen’s older churches, the St. James Church is one of the best — a Baroque gem built in 1656. In the village of Barienrode the St. Nicholas Church is also of a Baroque design, built in 1734.
I really like the design of the Gatehouse Diekholzen, a yellow and half-timbered building. I would’ve also liked the Burg Steuerwald more if I could’ve seen the inside of this 14th century castle. The moat is gone, but the Magdalene Chapel is still around — now a venue for weddings and musical concerts.
Yeah, I couldn’t have been more wrong about Diekholzen — and for once I was really glad not to be right. ;-)
