Haarmann began developing the scent and flavours industry. In 1874, with Ferdinand Tiemann, he succeeded in synthesising vanillin from coniferyl alcohol. More products were subsequently developed. The modern successor of their enterprise is the Symrise factory: Holzminden is a centre of the flavour and fragrance ingredient industry, its products being used throughout the world in cosmetic and food manufacture. The large Stiebel Eltron company, which produces heating and hot water products, has its headquarters in Holzminden. Owens-Illinois operates a glassworks in the town. Religion As a part of the former territory of Brunswick, Holzminden maintains a Protestant tradition. The church of St. Pauls in Altendorf, dating from before 1200, is the oldest of the town's churches. In its unadorned simplicity it offers a serene place for rest and contemplation. Other churches in the town are named after Luther, St. Michael, St. Thomas and St. Joseph(catholic). Sights The Tilly House of 1609 is located on the Johannis Square. It has a fine Renaissance door, which survived the fires of the Thirty Years' War. Johann Tserclaes, Count of Tilly, commander of the Imperial forces, is said to have spent a night here. The Reichspräsidentenhaus links the old part of the town with the Hafendamm and was opened in 1929. The beautiful Glockenspiel (carillon) is very popular, and plays well known tunes at set times. The steeple of the Lutheran church has become a symbol of Holzminden. The interior was remodelled in 1577, when it was made into a two-room church. The Severinsche Haus is a richly decorated house dating from 1683. It is the largest of the bourgeois houses, is decorated with a distinctive weathercock, and is known for its slanting floors. There is a good viewing platform on the Emperor William Tower, south of the town. Museums The town museum The doll and toy museum (private) Educational institutions HAWK, the Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaft und Kunst, was founded in 1831/32 by Friedrich Ludwig Haarmann as the first college of architecture in Germany. The Bauschule is now a prominent feature of the town, and many student activities, such as the traditional master's procession, are regular events on the Holzminden calendar. LSH, the Internat Solling, is a private boarding school founded in 1909 as part of an educational reform movement that sought to cultivate "Mind, Heart and Hand" equally. The campus occupies large parklike grounds on a western slope of the Solling. Campe-Gymnasium.