Hanseatic city of Gronau (Leine)

Gronau (Leine)

The town of Gronau (Leine) in southern Lower Saxony is located in the Leinebergland region between the Hildesheim Forest, Külf and Sieben Berge mountain ranges and belongs to the district of Hildesheim. With its 12 districts, the town has about 11,000 inhabitants. Of these, about 5,200 people live in the core town. Gronau (Leine) was founded in 1298 by the Hildesheim bishop Siegfried II on an island in the River Leine to strengthen trade and provide military protection for the surrounding area. It joined the Hanseatic League in 1427. The town is the administrative seat of the Leinebergland joint municipality and, as a basic centre, offers numerous shopping facilities including a weekly market. The appearance of the core town is dominated by half-timbered houses with eaves, the 65-metre-high tower of St. Matthew's Church and the arms of the River Leine that flow through the town.