St. James Church, Catholic church in Bruges, Belgium
St. James's Church, also known as Sint-Jakobskerk, is a Catholic church in Bruges, Belgium. The building is a brick hall church with a heavy crossing tower, a square tower topped by a pyramidal spire, a polygonal section under a steep hipped roof, and a lower annex with green louvered windows; inside, a tall dark wooden altarpiece with twisted columns and a central painting stands against a stone wall.
The church was originally built around 1240 and was expanded in 1459 to reflect the growing wealth of Bruges. In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, the interior was remodeled in Baroque style.
A bronze scallop shell gleams next to the door, marking the church as a stop on the Via Brugensis pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela. Throughout the city, about 40 shells are set into the pavement, guiding walkers from Damme Gate to the railway station.
The church is located in the Steenstraatkwartier, near the Sint-Jakobsplein, and is open to visitors during the day. It is best reached on foot or by bike, and the entrance is step-free for wheelchairs and strollers.
The church is sometimes wrongly called St. Jacob's, a confusion that arises because Flemish uses the same word for both James and Jacob. The church is an important stop on the Via Brugensis, a medieval pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela.
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