St-Jacobskerk (St. James' Church), Ghent
In the 11th century a wooden church was dedicated to Saint James. One hundred years later the wooden church was replaced with a Romanesque structure of stone. From the beginning the church was an important meeting place for pilgrims on their way to the shrine of Santiago de Compostella.
A scallop shell embedded into a flagstone at Saint James' is a reminder that the apostle is buried in Santiago de Compostella. Scallop shells were once abundant there. Saint James is a pilgrimage milestone.
The twin towers on either side of the entrance date from 1120. The octagonal transverse tower, built in the 13th century, is in the style called Scheldt Gothic. Side chapels belonging to the guilds were added in the 14th century.
The interior of the church is a blend of Romanesque and Baroque elements. The church is home to a Van Peteghem organ. The church was a meeting place for the guilds. It also houses paintings and art pieces and the tomb of Jan Palfjin, the inventor of the forceps.
Beside religious considerations, the church is also a cultural center. The square around the church is called Saint James' Square. It is the center of the famous Ghent Festivities, the annual mis-July people's festival marking the beginning of summer.
A scallop shell embedded into a flagstone at Saint James' is a reminder that the apostle is buried in Santiago de Compostella. Scallop shells were once abundant there. Saint James is a pilgrimage milestone.
The twin towers on either side of the entrance date from 1120. The octagonal transverse tower, built in the 13th century, is in the style called Scheldt Gothic. Side chapels belonging to the guilds were added in the 14th century.
The interior of the church is a blend of Romanesque and Baroque elements. The church is home to a Van Peteghem organ. The church was a meeting place for the guilds. It also houses paintings and art pieces and the tomb of Jan Palfjin, the inventor of the forceps.
Beside religious considerations, the church is also a cultural center. The square around the church is called Saint James' Square. It is the center of the famous Ghent Festivities, the annual mis-July people's festival marking the beginning of summer.
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St-Jacobskerk (St. James' Church) on Map
Sight Name: St-Jacobskerk (St. James' Church)
Sight Location: Ghent, Belgium (See walking tours in Ghent)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Ghent, Belgium (See walking tours in Ghent)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Ghent, Belgium
Create Your Own Walk in Ghent
Creating your own self-guided walk in Ghent is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Ghent's Historical Buildings
The medieval city of Ghent is full of wonderful old buildings, some dating back as far as the 12th-13th centuries. Medieval buildings are indeed everywhere here, and if you're interested in the heritage fit to capture you imagination, you will find plenty of it in Ghent鈥檚 historic downtown.
And you won鈥檛 have to look far for the World Heritage worthy of its name either. The Castle of... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles
And you won鈥檛 have to look far for the World Heritage worthy of its name either. The Castle of... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles
Ghent Introduction Walking Tour
Some historians believe "Ghent" comes from the Celtic word, "ganda." "Ganda" meant a confluence, as with two rivers. There are traces of human settlements as far back as the stone age at the confluence of the rivers Scheldt and Leie in Belgium.
With the Frankish invasions at the end of the 4th century AD, the Celtic language was replaced by Old Dutch and this... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles
With the Frankish invasions at the end of the 4th century AD, the Celtic language was replaced by Old Dutch and this... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles