St. Jacob Church

St James’s Church stands in Škofja Loka, a small town in Slovenia’s north-west. Built in the 13th century, it is a Roman Catholic parish church with a simple nave and a later tower. The Gothic presbytery and the tall bell tower were added in 1524 and 1532. At the start of the 18th century a black-marble high altar was installed inside.

The church is worth a visit for its layered history and the craftsmen who shaped it. The star-vaulted presbytery shows the Gothic style that spread across the Alps in the 16th century. The tower’s proportions still guide walkers through the old town. The marble altar survives as a rare example of Baroque art in a medieval shell.

Inside, visitors find a single long nave leading to the raised presbytery. The star-shaped ribs of the vault meet at bosses carved with floral motifs. The black-marble altar stands against the east wall, framed by gilded woodwork. Outside, the churchyard wall runs beside cobbled streets lined with medieval houses.