The Hildersheim Rose is also known as the 1000 year old rose bush, and is the oldest known living rose in the world. It grows on a wall of the Hildesheim Cathedral, a Catholic cathedral in Hildesheim, Germany, that is dedicated to the Assumption of Mary. The cathedral and the adjacent St. Michael's Church have been on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites since 1985. The Cathedral was destroyed by Allied bombers in 1945 during the Second World War, but the roots of the rose bush survived and it blossomed again among the ruins. According to legend, while the rose bush flourishes, Hildesheim will prosper.Photograph of a silver cake fork featuring the Hildersheim Rose, from Hildersheim, Germany.hildersheim, hildersheim rose, unesco world heritage

Ann Gervasoni stands beside the Hildersheim Rose in Braunsweig, Germany.hildersheim, hildersheim rose, ann gervasoni, germany