Tour Saint-Jacques

Tour Saint-Jacques

The Tour Saint-Jacques is a Gothic tower located in the 4th arrondissement of Paris, France. Standing 52 meters tall, it is the only remaining remnant of the former Church of Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie.

The tower's rich ornamentation reflects the wealth of the church’s congregation—wholesale butchers who worked at the nearby central market. The stonemasons responsible for the tower's construction were Jean de Felin, Julien Ménart, and Jean de Revier, and it was built between 1509 and 1523 during the reign of King Francis I. The ancient church was dedicated to Saint James, and its iconic tower welcomed pilgrims setting out on their journey to the shrine of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain. A relic of the saint was preserved inside the church. In 1998, the Tour Saint-Jacques was inscribed as part of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

During the Second French Empire, a small park was created around the tower. Alexandre Dumas drew inspiration for his 1856 play "La Tour Saint-Jacques-la-Boucherie" from this very tower. Recent research has shown that most of the stones and decorations of the Tour Saint-Jacques are original to its late medieval construction and not additions from the 19th century.

Saint-Jacques Tower

Must-visit reason: One of the most important components of the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route in France

Continent where the attraction is located: Europe

Country/Region where the attraction is located: France

Province/State where the attraction is located: Île-de-France Region

City where the attraction is located: Paris