Background and the First Parish Church
St Jacob’s Church began its history in the early 14th century as a chapel on the outskirts of the parish of Solna. Documents from 1311 mention a newly built chapel on Norrmalm. It is difficult to determine whether Jacob became a separate parish during the 15th century. In the 1430s, the church was called “ecclesia parrochialis”, meaning “parish church,” and there is reason to assume that the chapel had by then been replaced by a brick church. Research has shown that this church stood north of the current churchyard—approximately where the present parish house is located.
It was most likely a brick church that was demolished following a decision made at the Diet of Västerås in 1527. Had it still been made of wood, it probably would not have been torn down. One reason for the demolition was that the churches on the outskirts of the city had been used as refuges by the enemy during the wars for Stockholm since the 1470s. In addition, King Gustav I needed bricks for the reinforcement of the city’s defenses.
The Saint: St Jacob
The church is named after the apostle St James the Greater, the patron saint of pilgrims and all who travel. He is depicted as a pilgrim with a hat, staff, and scallop shell. The shell was used as a cup for drinking water along the way.
The Church of John III (1588–1592)
In 1580, King John III ordered the reconstruction of St Jacob’s Church. This was also part of a greater effort to fully integrate the northern districts with the city. Construction began in 1588, and the new church was also to be built of brick on the same site as the original. Willem Boy was likely the architect; he was simultaneously working on royal palaces. The man supervising the construction was the master builder Henrik van Huwen.
The king soon changed his mind about the church’s location and appearance, and construction began anew, south of the churchyard. The nave ultimately received a three‑aisled plan, six bays long, with a narrow, polygonal choir projecting to the east. By the time the king died in 1592, the three aisles had been completed, along with the Öland limestone pillars and the vaulting over the crossing—where the central tower was intended to be built.
The Church of Charles IX and Flemming’s Construction (1633–1644)
The completion of the church took a long time. Today it bears traces of Late Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque architecture. After John III’s death in 1592, construction came to a halt until around 1630. Charles IX, however, had an interest in completing the church. He planned for Norrmalm to become its own town. Practically speaking, Norrmalm gained its own jurisdiction and a seal in 1602, though without full city privileges.
Under Charles IX, the church was extended by two additional bays. Progress was slow, but interest in the project was maintained largely because the Finnish congregation had been given a tentative promise to use the church when it was finished.
In 1633, Klas Flemming, Sweden’s first Governor of Stockholm, took the initiative to sign contracts with master mason Hans Förster and stonemason Henrik Blom. The vaults were built in various star patterns. In the central vault, the year 1642 appears in gilded numerals—the year the roof was completed. The southern portal, dated to 1644, is likely the work of the stonemasons Markus or Hans Hebel. The western and northern portals were made by Henrik Blom in 1643. He also created the Dutch Renaissance gable ornaments of the transepts, which were later destroyed in the fire of 1723.
The Consecration of 1643
The church was consecrated on the First Sunday of Advent, 26 November 1643, in the presence of Queen Christina.
St Jacob Becomes Its Own Parish
The day before the consecration, Norrmalm had been divided into two parishes: St Clara and St Jacob. The parish boundary ran along Malmskillnadsgatan at the top of the Brunkeberg ridge. At the far end of the ridge there was already a cemetery—the New Churchyard—where the St John’s Burial Chapel would soon be built. This chapel served as an annex church to Jacob until 1906.
Construction in the 17th Century and a New Sacristy
Only parts of the interior were completed, and work continued for some time. The southern portal, carved in grey sandstone, was finished in 1644. It was likely made by the sculptor Hans Hebel or possibly his brother Markus Hebel. North of the choir, a new sacristy was added in 1698.
The Roof Fire of 1723
In 1723, the church—especially the roof—was damaged by a major fire. A new central tower, designed by G. J. Adelcrantz, was consecrated in 1739. All the church’s tower roofs were designed by C. Hårleman. In 1862, the nave was expanded by removing the walls that separated it from the sacristy and burial chapels in the first bays of the aisles. In the 1770s, the church exterior was painted grey‑white.
Building History in the 19th Century
The 19th century brought major changes to the interior. Between 1814 and 1816, almost all 17th‑century furnishings were removed, and items were frequently replaced. All old galleries were torn out and replaced with full‑length galleries in both aisles. The altarpiece was replaced and the organ gallery altered. As a result of these changes, the church was deprived of much of its natural light—prompting complaints from the congregation.
In 1825, the interior was again altered. The galleries were rebuilt, and the pews—previously painted pearl‑grey—were repainted mahogany‑brown.
Central Heating and Gas Lighting
In 1850, the church received central heating from a boiler placed east of the sacristy. In 1862, the church switched to gas lighting: 1,450 gas flames—the highest number in any church in Stockholm.
The Vasa Renaissance of 1893
These earlier changes were reversed during the restoration of 1893, led by architect C. Möller. The interior received a national‑romantic character known as the “Vasa Renaissance.” The galleries were replaced with Baroque‑inspired railings; ceilings and walls were decorated with leaf patterns; and electric lighting was installed. The choir received an entirely new design with a low altarpiece and stained‑glass windows.
Renovations in the 20th Century
In 1910, the church underwent exterior restoration, including a new sandstone plinth and a new copper roof. In 1926, the sacristy was expanded with an additional room to the east.
The Renovations of 1932–37
The next major renovation took place between 1932 and 1937, giving the church the clean and somewhat austere character that still defines the interior today. Under the direction of royal architect Ove Leijonhufvud, the church received new exterior plaster in the same light‑grey tone used in the 1770s.
The Church Today
No major alterations have been made since 1937. In 1968–69, the church was renovated inside and out and was re‑consecrated on 16 November 1969 in the presence of King Gustaf VI Adolf.
On 29 September 1985, a new parish house was inaugurated, built on the site of the church’s former burial chapel on the north side of the churchyard. The parish house replaced two parish properties that had been expropriated during the 1970s.
At the end of the 16th century, Stockholm began expanding beyond the old town island (Stadsholmen). Norrmalm needed its own church, and Jacob’s Church thus became the first church in Stockholm built after the Reformation. It was not until the mid‑17th century that the church was fully ready for use.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, Jacob was one of Stockholm’s most vibrant churches. Dynamic clergy preached from its pulpit, debates of the Age of Liberty were held beneath its vaults, and several notable cultural figures—such as the writer Kellgren—were buried in the churchyard.
In the 19th century, the church interior was altered several times. The old furnishings were removed, replaced with new ones, which were later removed again.
In the 1930s, a major reconstruction took place, and the large Neo‑Renaissance altarpiece was installed. The church organ is among the largest in Stockholm and one of the few capable of performing the complex organ works of the 20th century.