The Belfry of Namur, also called the Tour Saint-Jacques, was originally part of the city's medieval defensive wall and was later converted into a bell tower for the nearby parish. Inscribed by UNESCO in 1999 as part of the cross-border listing of Belgian and French belfries, it is the oldest secular building still standing in the city.
The tower has had a hard life — repeatedly damaged by sieges and fires, rebuilt and patched up many times. Today it is open by appointment for a steep but rewarding climb to the top, where the view takes in the cathedral, the citadel, and the rooftops of the old town.