Saint James Church

This church, a stone's throw from the shopping street Meir, is one of the largest churches in Antwerp. Like other European cities, Antwerp has a St. James shrine. In the early 15th century, a hospice here received pilgrims from Northern Europe on their way to the tomb of the apostle James in Santiago de Compostela. In 1413, a chapel was added to the hospice, dedicated to Saint James. It soon became clear that the chapel was far too small, so in 1491, the first stone of the present church in Brabant Gothic style was laid. The entire building campaign would take as long as 175 years. As a parish church, St. James' Church accommodated various smaller crafts, guilds, and religious brotherhoods. The choir ambulatory was completed during the full Baroque period thanks to the burial chapels of wealthy families. The most famous burial chapel is that of the Antwerp master painter of the Baroque, Peter Paul Rubens. The altarpiece Madonna surrounded by Saints in that chapel is by the master himself. Elsewhere in the church, you can also admire a masterpiece by Jacob Jordaens. St. James' Church has one of the oldest working tower clocks.

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