Saint-Jacques Church

Before you stands the Gothic Church of Saint-Jacques, a UNESCO World Heritage site as part of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France. Built in the 13th century in the prevailing Gothic style, it was later expanded with flamboyant Gothic elements, and some Renaissance touches if you look at the lantern atop the tower. Until 1199, Compiègne was owned by the Sainte-Corneille Abbey, which had just one parish. As the population grew, new parishes needed to be built. Pope Innocent III tasked the abbot of Saint-Denis and the bishop of Paris with dividing the town into three parishes, each with its own church. The Saint-Jacques church, due to its proximity to the castle, earned the nickname "royal parish." The church wasn’t considered finished until the mid-16th century. It was well maintained over the centuries and classified as a historic monument in 1907. Sadly, it was completely devastated by Allied bombings during World War II, but it was restored before the war ended. For a little historical tidbit, the parish is linked to the order of the “Sixteen Blessed Carmelites of Compiègne.” They were 16 nuns who were sentenced to death in 1794 by the Revolutionary Tribunal for fanaticism and sedition. Of course, this didn’t really mean anything, and their condemnation was part of a larger political maneuver during the Reign of Terror and the dechristianisation period. Their deaths inspired countless stories, operas, novellas, and even films. They were beatified in 1906. In any case, be sure to step inside the church, it’s stunning. The marble cladding and the wood paneling that covers the pillars give it a truly unique style.