St. Katharinen, originally the church of brewers and shipbuilders, was founded in 1256. It was rebuilt in brick gothic style in the mid 15th century and fitted with a baroque top to its spire in 1657. The organ built by Hans Stellwagen in 1670 was played by Bach among others.
In 1943 the church was destroyed in Allied bomb raids (Operation Gomorrha), only the foundation walls and the base of the tower were left. After the war it was rebuilt to original plans and fitted with modern windows and artwork.
Some of the organ pipes luckily had survived, so the organ and its casing were restored using photographs and original plans.
In 1962 the North Sea flood (over 300 dead in Hamburg) hit the church hard, flood marks can still be seen on the walls.

www.katharinen-hamburg.de/kirche/geschichte

www.ndr.de/ratgeber/reise/hamburg/St-Katharinen-in-Hamburg-Die-Kirche-der-Schiffer-und-Brauer,katharinenkirche116.html