St. Nikolai, Kiel  St. Nikolai is the name of a Protestant parish and its church in Kiel, the capital of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is the town's oldest building, at the "Alter Markt". It was dedicated to Saint Nicholas. In the 19th century, it was remodeled in Gothic Revival style. Destroyed in World War II, it was rebuilt with a simpler contemporary interior. It features notable artworks such as a bronze baptismal font from 1340, an altar from 1460, a triumphal cross from 1490, a wood-carved pulpit from 1705, and outside a bronze by Ernst Barlach from 1928. The building was begun shortly after the foundation of the town by Adolf IV of Schauenburg and Holstein, c. 1242. The church is first mentioned in a document of 1246, dedicated to Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of seafarers and merchants. The original Gothic hall church was changed hundred years later, following the model of , by adding a long choir, and building three naves. The steeple was connected to the church by the annex of chapels. In 1526, Marquard Schuldorp (1495–1529) introduced the Reformation. From 1877 to 1884, the church was remodeled in Gothic Revival style, including a new facade and a flatter roof. The funeral chapels from the 17th century were demolished. Inside, the "Lettner", balconies and seating were removed. Reception of the changes were mixed. In World War II, the church was badly damaged by bombing on 22 May 1944. The interior features had been removed. The church was completely demolished because the ruin was unstable. It was rebuilt from 1950 by who turned to modern forms and construction, such as concrete columns and ceiling. The interior was remodeled by Peter Kahlcke in an "unpretentious" style, faithful to Langmaack's concept, and completed in 1986. The bronze baptismal font ("Taufe") by dates back to 1344 and is the oldest artwork in the church. It is regarded as one of the best medieval bronzes in northern Germany. He created it after the Wismar "Taufe" of 1331 and the Lübeck "Taufe" of 1337. The "Erzväteraltar" (Altar of the patriarchs) from 1460 was made for the church of the , and was moved to St. Nikolai in 1541 when the monastery was dissolved in the Reformation.