Tour Saint Jacques, the belfry of Saint Jacques de la Boucherie
The Tour Saint Jacques stands at the corner of Boulevard de Sébastopol and Rue de Rivoli, a stone’s throw from Place du Châtelet and the bustling Halles district.
This Flamboyant Gothic bell tower, a true emblem of the city, is the only remaining vestige of the Church of Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie, built in 1060 by the wealthy Guild of the Parisian Butchers.
Located in the heart of historic Paris, Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie was an important landmark as it was one of the starting points for French pilgrims travelling to Saint-Jacques de Compostelle in Spain.
A statue of Saint James of Compostela thus adorns the top of the tower, and a commemorative plaque has been placed at its base.
Statue of Blaise Pascal
The Church of Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherieand its outbuildings were all demolished during the French Revolution, but the Tour Saint Jacques miraculously escaped destruction.
Erected in the early 16th century to replace the original Romanesque tower, this belfry, with its complex architecture and remarkable height, is a superb example of the Flamboyant Gothic style and was restored in the 19th century by the architect Théodore Ballu.
A statue of the famous mathematician and physicist Blaise Pascal was placed in the tower’s porch to commemorate the revolutionary barometric experiments he conducted from the tower’s summit in the mid-17th century.
The Tour Saint Jacques is thus a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Usually closed to the public, it opens its doors once a year during the Journées du Patrimoine (European Heritage Days), which take place every September.
Square de la Tour Saint Jacques
The Square de la Tour Saint Jacques was created on the site of the church and its outbuildings.
This charming public garden, among the first designed by Alphand during Haussmann‘s urban renewal projects in the mid-19th century, is a verdant oasis in the heart of this lively neighbourhood.
Numerous benches are thoughtfully placed amidst lush lawns and flowerbeds, making it a favourite spot for locals and tourists.
You will also find a stelae dedicated to the famous writer, traveller, essayist, poet, and translator Gérard de Nerval, as well as a stone engraved with an excerpt from one of his poems.
Nerval, whose real name was Gérard de Labrunie, was indeed very fond of his native neighbourhood.
Directions: 4th District
Metro: Châtelet on Lines 1, 4, 11
Coordinates Tour Saint Jacques: Lat 48.858068 – Long 2.348907
