Arp Schnitger built the organ of the Church of St. Jacobi in Hamburg in 1693. It is the largest surviving Baroque organ in northern Europe. It has more than 4,000 pipes, and some of them are older than Schnitger’s work. A thorough restoration was completed in 1993, and the organ is played regularly.
In December 2017 UNESCO recognized German organ building and organ music as intangible cultural heritage. More than 50,000 organs are in use in Germany. About 400 workshops with about 2,800 employees build and care for them.