Being open to the sea and trade due to its geographical position, Estonia has been characterised throughout the centuries by a large variety of cultures. Bearers of different cultures arrived here at different times and for different reasons – either as colonisers or peaceful merchants and workers.

The material culture of Estonia in the middle ages was dominated by Baltic German influence — this is evident in the old town of Tallinn, late medieval churches with their laconic style and the manor houses scattered all over Estonia together with the art heritage that they contain. Two prominent 15th century painters, known throughout Europe, are associated with Tallinn: Bernt Notke (1430/40 – 1509) whose Dance of Death (1463 or 1466) is located in the St Nicholas church in Tallinn, and Michel Sittow (1469-1525) whose clients included several crowned heads, such as Isabel I (Castilia), Christian II (Denmark), Fernando II (Spain), and Carlos I (later the German-Roman Kaiser Carl I).

http://www.estonica.org/eng/lugu.html?kateg=41&menyy_id=874&alam=57&tekst_id=875

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