Tour Saint-Jacques

You are looking at the Tour Saint Jacques, a solitary stone spire standing fifty two meters high in the middle of a city square. This tower is the only surviving piece of the medieval church of Saint Jacques de la Boucherie, which was demolished during the French Revolution. The church was originally built by the wealthy butchers who worked at the nearby Les Halles market, and for centuries it served as a primary gathering point for pilgrims embarking on the long journey to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Because of this historic connection to the pilgrimage route, the tower is now protected as a UNESCO World Heritage site.