Tour Saint-Jacques
Paris · France · Tower
Beneath the tower lay the alchemist's grave. When it was opened there was no body — only the stories of the man who had cheated death.
The Gothic tower on the rue de Rivoli is all that remains of the church of Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie, demolished during the Revolution. Nicolas Flamel was buried in that church in 1418, and the darkest Parisian alchemical legend has grown around his grave. According to it the vault was opened and found empty, while his tombstone turned up much later, reused as a chopping board in a herbalist's shop. The tower itself has acquired a reputation as an alchemical monument: the statues, the gargoyles and the sealed spiral stair are said to hide instructions for the philosopher's stone, and seekers have measured and interpreted the stonework for centuries. Blaise Pascal ran barometer experiments up here. Lit from below at night, it is easy to see why nobody has stopped looking.
FAQ
Where is Tour Saint-Jacques located?
Tour Saint-Jacques is in Paris, France.
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Accounts are drawn from local folklore and visitor reports.
Image: Charles Soulier · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons