Built at the end of the 17th century in the heart of the town of Aire-sur-la-Lys, in the Pas-de-Calais, the Saint-Jacques-le-Majeur-et-Saint-Ignace church is a magnificent example of late Baroque architecture. Originally the church of the Jesuit college in the town, it is now classified as a Historic Monument.
Inside the building, it is possible to admire a style that literally applies the designs of the Jesuits, with a sober architecture and an altar that catches the eye. Largely restored in the second half of the 20th century, the church is surely one of the most characteristic monuments of the Dutch Baroque style with its facade a little higher than the roof and its rounded apse.
Entirely in white stones, its interior reveals a semicircular vault, a crypt, modern stained glass windows or fourteen carved gilt wood panels from the 18th century from the nearby Saint-Pierre collegiate church and four Baroque statues representing Saint James, Saint Peter, Saint Francis Xavier and Saint John.
