The wonderful sandstone Sigwardskirche in Idensen, near Wunstorf, is worth making the detour from Stadthagen for. This church dates from 1120 and is a masterpiece of Romanesque architecture. Inside, the church is painted from top to bottom in scenes from the Bible. There is also a Byzantine-style painting of Christ’s Enthronement on the ceiling. Remarkably the painted walls had been covered by whitewash from the 15th century, and only recovered 400 years later. Today they are kept in a carefully controlled atmosphere to preserve them.
