 Tour Saint-Jacques in April 2015 | |
 Interactive map of Tour Saint-Jacques | |
| Location | 4th arrondissement of Paris |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 48°51′28.7″N2°20′56.1″E / 48.857972°N 2.348917°E /48.857972; 2.348917 |
| Type | Church ruins |
| Height | 52 metres (171 ft) |
| Beginning date | 1509 |
| Completion date | 1523 |
| Dedicated to | St James the Great |
| Criteria | Cultural: ii, iv, vi |
| Designated | 1998(22ndsession) |
| Part of | Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France |
| Reference no. | 868-031 |
| Region | Europe and North America |
| Designated | 1862 |
| Reference no. | PA00086479[1] |
Tour Saint-Jacques (French:[tuʁsɛ̃ʒak], 'Saint James's Tower') is a monument located in the4th arrondissement of Paris, France, on theRive Droite. This 52-metre (171 ft)Flamboyant Gothictower at the intersection of theRue de Rivoli with Rue Nicolas-Flamel is all that remains of the former medieval Church of Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie ('Saint James of the Meat Market'), which was partially rebuilt in the 16th-century and demolished in 1797, during theFrench Revolution, leaving only the tower. The stones of the old church were treated as if it were a quarry.[2]
What remains of the destroyed church of Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie is now considered a national historic landmark.
The tower's rich decoration reflects the wealth of its patrons, the wholesalebutchers of the nearbyLes Halles market. The masons in charge were Jean de Felin, Julien Ménart and Jean de Revier. It was built in 1509 to 1523,[3] during the reign of KingFrancis I. With a dedication toSaint James the Greater, the ancient church[4] and its landmark tower welcomed pilgrims setting out on the road that led toTours and headed for theWay of St James, which led to the major pilgrimage destination ofSantiago de Compostela. A relic of the saint preserved in the church linked it the more strongly and in modern times occasioned its listing in 1998 as aWorld Heritage Site byUNESCO among the sites and structures marking thechemins de Compostelle, the pilgrimage routes in France that led like tributaries of a great stream headed towards Santiago in the northwest of Spain.
The church, with the exception of the tower, was demolished in 1793; preservation of the tower was a condition of the contract by which the church was bought for the value of its building materials. In 1824 it was being used as ashot tower to make small shot. It was repurchased by theCity of Paris in 1836 and declared amonument historique in 1862. A statue of the saint was installed on the top of the tower during the 19th century.
During theSecond Empire, the architectThéodore Ballu restored the tower, placing it on a pedestal and designing a small city park around it. This coincided with the construction of theRue de Rivoli and Avenue Victoria nearby, requiring huge quantities of earth to be removed to ensure the Rue de Rivoli a smooth flat path. The pedestal allowed the tower to retain its original elevation: nowadays, the change in ground level can best be appreciated in Rue Saint-Bon, just northeast of the tower, where a staircase leads up to the original street level at the Rue de la Verrerie.
A statue ofBlaise Pascal is located at the base of the tower, commemorating the experiments onatmospheric pressure, though it is debated whether they were performed here or at the church ofSaint-Jacques-du-Haut-Pas.[citation needed] A meteorological laboratory is also installed at the top of the tower.
The tower inspiredAlexandre Dumas to write the playLa tour Saint-Jacques-de-la-boucherie in 1856.
Nicolas Flamel, reputedly analchemist and a patron of the church, was buried under its floor.[5]
The tower was surrounded by scaffolding and obscured by sheeting for some years as surveyors investigated the condition of the stone. Recent findings show that most of the stone and its ornamentation originates from the late-medieval era of the tower's construction, and was not added by the 19th-century restorers. Unfortunately, the survey also indicates serious cracking. The top three quarters of sheeting were taken down in March 2008, revealing a renovated upper section of the tower. From October 2008 to February 2009, the scaffolds and sheeting were completely removed and the surrounding park's landscaping was being restored. Finally, on 18 April 2009, the park was re-opened to the public.[6]
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Media related toTour Saint-Jacques at Wikimedia Commons| Paris Route or Via Turonensis |
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| Vézelay Route or Via Lemovicensis |
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| Le Puy Route or Via Podiensis |
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| Arles Route or Via Tolasana |
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