St. Jakobus Maior, Catholic church in Gersthofen, Germany

St. Jakobus Maior is a neo-Romanesque hall church built in 1854/55 to plans by Georg von Stengel, with a square tower topped by a pointed spire on its south side since the 1924/25 rebuild. The nave ends in a recessed choir of a short transverse bay with cross-ribbed vaulting and a rounded apse.

The site has ancient Roman origins, as remnants of a Mercury temple from the 1st century were discovered during 1854 renovation work. These findings suggest that a sacred place existed here during antiquity.

The ceiling paintings depict biblical figures from both testaments connected to St James' story. They were created in 1989 by Professor Georg Bernhard and shape the visual character of the interior.

The church is regularly open for services and serves an active parish community. Visitors should inquire about opening hours as they may vary depending on services and events.

Archaeologists discovered a marble altar with inscriptions from a Romanized Celtic individual named Publius Aelius Senno from Emperor Hadrian's era during renovations. This find directly links the church's history to the Roman occupation of the site.