Niguliste Church

Situated right in the centre of the Old Town of the capital of Estonia, a few minutes walk from the Town Hall square there stands one of the most famous buildings of Tallinn - the church of Saint Nicolas.
It was built in 1316 by wealthy German merchants and named after Saint Nicolas better known as Niguliste in Estonian, who is said to be the patron Saint of seafarers and merchants.
No wonder that the merchants-seafarers have built the church and consecrated it in the name of the patron saint of all seafarers.
The majestic, massive building of the fortress-temple has carried until nowadays the characteristics of the 15th century. Inside the three nave oblong form a basilica, a polygon of choruses, a regal quadrangular tower with the floral spike scratching the low Baltic clouds.
The great church is supplemented by the tombs of the medieval people.

Today Niguliste is the historical museum of sacral art and the exhibits covering more than 700 years of the period of medieval and post reformatory Estonia are displayed in there.
Of doubtless interest to the visitor will be the unique wood-carving, the ancient coats of arms, magnificent gravestones and candlesticks also a most interesting collection of silver cups and other items made of silver. Being a branch of the Estonian Art museum, Niguliste represents both its curiosities, and the exhibits which are deposited in the church.
A doubtless pearl of the museum is the remained fragment of the world famous painting of Berndt Notke "Death Dancing" – a unique three-metre cloth, next to which a picture story tells about the restoration of the painting.
Nobody is being left indifferent by the deep philosophical pathos of the painting, a terrible reminder on frailty of life and inevitability of the court.

Magnificent acoustics of the ancient church has predetermined use of its hall as a concert hall. Excursions, lectures, informative actions for youth are conducted regularly and the organ music concerts being played under the majestic arches of the Niguliste church