This 52 metres (171 ft) Gothic tower, built from 1509 to 1523,
is all that remains of the former 16th century Church of
Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie ("Saint James of the butchery") which was
leveled shortly after the French Revolution. The tower's rich decoration reflects the wealth of its patrons, the wholesale butchers of the nearby Les Halles market. The ancient church and its landmark tower welcomed pilgrims setting out on the road that led to Tours and headed for the way of St James, which led to the major pilgrimage destination of Santiago de Compostela.
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