Iglesia de Sant Jaume (Parish Church of Saint James), Palma de Mallorca

The Parish of Sant Jaume (Saint James) was founded by the kings of Mallorca and documented for the first time as early as 1248 – in the bull of Innocent IV, – being one of the five oldest parishes in Palma (alongside those of Santa Eulalia, Santa Catalina de Siena, Sant Miquel, and Santa Creu). The works on the church began in 1327, directed by Jordi Pujol. The building serves a good example of Gothic architecture, with a single, cross-vaulted nave and a beautiful rose window at the front.

The temple's Baroque-style portal, overlooking a small square, replaces the 15th-century original, and was made in 1776 by the Mallorcan sculptor, Miquel Tomàs, who decorated it with rocaille and a bust of James the Apostle. As for the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, it was added in the 17th century, built over the adjacent houses ceded in 1650 by Tomàs de Torrella, knight of the Order of Calatrava.

Inside the chapel there are important relics of Baroque art: the canvases of Santo Cristo (Holy Christ) by Miquel Pons Cantallops. Also notable is the San Cayetano (Saint Cajetan) gilded altarpiece.

In 1870, the church was seriously damaged and has been restored only recently. The small proportions make it a place of great simplicity and beauty. The coats of arms of the benefactors who contributed to its construction are preserved on the arch-stones of the vault. In this respect, the Iglesia de Sant Jaume is a true heraldic treasure trove.