The stained-glass windows in the Jacobikirche in Stendal date partly from the 14th century and are thus the oldest in northern Germany.
The scenes are from Biblical events (the Passion of Christ behind the high altar is probably the easiest to read), saints, and medieval crafts. One window now has many shields of Altmark noble families. These shields were only grouped together during the 19th century. Originally, each would have been with the scenes the family had sponsored. The two Swastika shields are 15th-century originals — installed five centuries before these symbols got a totally different meaning in Germany.