St. Catherine's Church (German: St. Katharinen) is one of the five principal Lutheran churches (Hauptkirchen) of Hamburg, Germany. The base of its spire, dating from the 13th century, is the second oldest building preserved in the city, after the lighthouse on Neuwerk island. It is situated on an island near what was formerly the southern boundary of the medieval city, opposite the historic harbour area on the Elbe river. It traditionally served as the church of the seamen. History The earliest attestation to the existence of the church dates back to 1256. The main body, consisting of a triple nave, was rebuilt during the mid-15th century in the north German Brick Gothic style. In 1657 a Baroque rooftop was added to the spire, which thus reached a height of 115 meters. The construction of the adjacent Speicherstadt and associated relocation of 20,000 people in the 1880s brought a substantial change to its parish. The church was mostly destroyed in an air-raid during World War II, on 30 July 1943, that left only the outer walls and the base of the spire standing. The building was restored between 1950 and 1957, and again between 2007 and 2012. Famous pastors have included Joachim Westphal and Philipp Nicolai. Organ St. Catherine's had an organ as early as the late 15th century, and by the 16th century it was considered the most important in Hamburg. This organ was replaced by a new organ built by Hans Stellwagen, rebuilt in 1670 and repaired by Johann Friederich Besser. In 1720, according to Johann Mattheson, this organ consisted of some 58 stops and approximately 88 ranks—disposed over 4 manuals and pedals—which may have made it the largest organ in the world at that time. Among the organists who played here were Heinrich Scheidemann, Johann Adam Reinken (organist there for more than 40 years), and Johann Sebastian Bach. Bach first visited the church in the summer of 1701 and played here again in October/November 1720 when he auditioned for the post of organist at the nearby Jacobikirche; his Fantasy and Fugue in G minor, BWV 542 dates to this occasion. Bach greatly admired this organ, which featured two 32-foot ranks in the pedal, with four 16-foot ranks on the Hauptwerk (or Great) division and 16 diagonal shoe bellows to supply the wind to the instrument's windchests. Repairs were made in 1742, and a new lavishly carved decorated case