Visible from afar, the steeples of this
church dominate the town. It is a 3-aisle church with a long presbytery and two steeples in the front. The construction of the church began in the first half of the 13
th century.
In May 1257, the church was consecrated and became a parish church. The northern steeple, built at the beginning of the 14
th century as a watchtower, measuring 63 meters in height, is used as an outlook tower today. Approximately 100 years later, the second - southern - steeple was built as a bell tower. Its original height had to be gradually reduced to 54 meters, because it started to lean sideways. In 1563, a bell, traditionally called
"Zuzana", was suspended in it. Measuring 1,82 meters in height and weighing 7.086 kg, it is the second large bell in Moravia.
The church is a treasury of valuable artifacts. Its unique Pieta dates back to mid 14
th century and its exquisite Madonna count as one of the most notably
beautiful Madonnas in the country. The Late-Gothic sculptures of St. Jacob and the Holy Father are attributed to a carver's workshop in Jihlava. Hans Hirt, a goldsmith from Nuremberg, made the gold-gilded baptismal font in 1599. The paintings, sculptures, and fresco decorations in the chapel originated in the Baroque era.
The tombstones set into the wall surrounding the church come from a closed cemetery.
Outlook Tower at St. Jacob's Church, the construction of the northern tower, which doubled as a watchtower (63 m), was completed towards the end of the 14th century. It had a cone-shaped steeple and figural mural on its face wall. A 1591 historical source specifies the schedule of the tower master and his two assistants: they were to blow the horn on the hour, welcome important visitors with fanfares, and watch the town to protect it from fire and enemies. The last tower master left the tower in 1924 when the job position was cancelled.
The tower was opened to the public in June 1991 as part of the celebration of the 555th anniversary of the acceptance of the Basil Council's Conventions. The tower's gallery is 40 meters above the ground (556 m. above sea level) and offers a view over a wide area of the countryside surrounding Jihlava.