Church of St. Jacob |
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Temple dedicated to Saint James the Less, one of the Twelve Apostles. Built on the site of a Benedictine abbey that existed here, which was founded in 1015 on the orders of Bishop Baldrick II. After the roof of the Romanesque church collapsed in 1513, work began on the construction of a new church. They operated in the years 1513-1538.
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After the destruction of the church of St. Peter's Church of St. James became one of the seven collegiate churches in Liege. Temple of St. James is a wonderful example of the coexistence of three architectural styles. Here we can admire the Romanesque style (remains of the old Romanesque, 12th-century building have been preserved in the front part of the temple), the Gothic style (in which most of the church was built), and the Renaissance style (in 1558 a Renaissance portal was built, designed by Lambert Lombard).
The turret (a small tower on top of the church roof) dates from 1653. In the 19th and 20th centuries, many changes were made to the church, especially the demolition of the monastery buildings in 1873.
The interior of the church is impressive. Here we can admire some of the most beautiful 16th-century stained glass windows in Belgium (1525-1530). They are not only religious but also secular in nature. In addition to biblical figures, secular motifs also appear here, such as the 32 coats of arms of guilds existing in Liege. In the transept, to the left of the choir, there are two stained glass windows from the end of the 19th century. The lower one is the death of the Blessed Virgin Mary , the upper one the Assumption .
The interior of the church is impressive. Here we can admire some of the most beautiful 16th-century stained glass windows in Belgium (1525-1530). They are not only religious but also secular in nature. In addition to biblical figures, secular motifs also appear here, such as the 32 coats of arms of guilds existing in Liege. In the transept, to the left of the choir, there are two stained glass windows from the end of the 19th century. The lower one is the death of the Blessed Virgin Mary , the upper one the Assumption .
The church is decorated with magnificent Baroque sculptures by the 17th-century sculptor from the Liège region, Jan Del Cour. It is also worth paying attention to the beautiful, painted vault of the church. The details on the vault of the main nave were painted in 1535 and 1537. The temple's treasures also include the monumental organ built in 1600, as well as the 14th-century stalls. The Pieta of multi-colored sandstone, depicting the Virgin Mary holding the dead Christ on her lap, dates from the 16th century. This sculpture was originally created for the parish church of Saint-Remy, demolished in 1799, where it was greatly venerated.
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Address:
Place Saint-Jacques, 4000 Liège |
Opening hours:
Monday-Sunday: 9:00-12:00 During the tourist season: Monday-Sunday: 10.00-12.00 and 14.00-18.00 Holy Masses: Saturday: 4:30 PM Sunday: 11:00 AM |
Fare:
free admission |