St Martin's church, Junglinster, Luxembourg

St Martin's church is an 18th-century listed building and Catholic parish church in Junglinster, Grevenmacher. It contains artworks and monuments from the older parish church that the building replaced. The oldest monuments commemorate members of the noble d'Orley family, to whom the Renaissance artist Bernard van Orley was related.

The parish has existed since medieval times, but by 1688 the original church was in a state of disrepair, and litigation about who was responsible for upkeep delayed renovation. In January 1744, Johannes Otto Borrigs became parish priest. In the 1750s Borrigs laid out a walled garden around the presbytery, and in 1762 had a new presbytery built in the style of a manor house. The contrast between the new presbytery and the dilapidation of the church itself led to pressure to build a new church. Agreement was reached in 1771, and the new building was erected in 1772–1773, to plans attributed to Paul Mungenast (1735–1797), master of works to the Abbey of Echternach. The inspiration for the design was the Basilica of St. Paulinus, Trier.

The building was consecrated on 24 July 1774 by the auxiliary bishop, Johann Nikolaus von Hontheim. The murals were painted by the Czech artist Ignatius Millim (1747–1820). The Altar of Our Lady dates to 1903.

Enlargement works were carried out in 1938, and restorations in 1973 and 2010.

References:

Wikipedia

Religious sites in Luxembourg

User Reviews

Zoran Bouvier (2 years ago)
The church was built in the eighteenth century. The building is in Baroque style. The altar is magnificent with this wood covered with polychromy. We also saw tombstones of the lords of the place. Very well maintained. Around the building there is an ancient cemetery with a large number of ancient crosses. Listed monument. (Google translation) The church was built in the eighteenth century. The building is in the Baroque style. The altar is magnificent with this wood covered with polychromy. We also saw tombstones of the lords of the place. Very well maintained. Around the building there is an ancient cemetery with a large number of ancient crosses. Listed monument.

Riesen Mantide (2 years ago)
It's just a church

Janny van Engelen (2 years ago)
Beautiful well maintained church.

CHAMADO DE DEUS PAI AOS SEUS FILHOS (2 years ago)
Belissima?

Luc Tordy (4 years ago)
Very beautiful baroque church restored according to the rules of the art. The ambient light invites you to spend a few moments there to meditate in peace.

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Lorca Castle

Castle of Lorca (Castillo de Lorca) is a fortress of medieval origin constructed between the 9th and 15th centuries. It consists of a series of defensive structures that, during the Middle Ages, made the town and the fortress an impregnable point in the southeast part of the Iberian Peninsula. Lorca Castle was a key strategic point of contention between Christians and Muslims during the Reconquista.

Archaeological excavations have revealed that the site of the castle has been inhabited since Neolithic times.

Muslim Era

It has not been determined exactly when a castle or fortress was first built on the hill. The first written documentation referring to a castle at Lorca is of Muslim origin, which in the 9th century, indicates that the city of Lurqa was an important town in the area ruled by Theudimer (Tudmir). During Muslim rule, Lorca Castle was an impregnable fortress and its interior was divided into two sections by the Espaldón Wall. In the western part, there was an area used to protect livestock and grain in times of danger. The eastern part had a neighbourhood called the barrio de Alcalá.

After Reconquista

Lorca was conquered by the Castilian Infante Don Alfonso, the future Alfonso X, in 1244, and the fortress became a key defensive point against the Kingdom of Granada. For 250 years, Lorca Castle was a watchpoint on the border between the Christian kingdom of Murcia and the Muslim state of Granada.

Alfonso X ordered the construction of the towers known as the Alfonsina and Espolón Towers, and strengthened and fixed the walls. Hardly a trace of the Muslim fortress remained due to this reconstruction. Muslim traces remain in the foundation stones and the wall known as the muro del Espaldón.

The Jewish Quarter was found within the alcazaba, the Moorish fortification, separated from the rest of the city by its walls. The physical separation had the purpose of protecting the Jewish people in the town from harm, but also had the result of keeping Christians and Jews separate, with the Christians inhabiting the lower part of town.

The remains of the Jewish Quarter extended over an area of 5,700 square m, and 12 homes and a synagogue have been found; the synagogue dates from the 14th century and is the only one found in the Murcia. The streets of the town had an irregular layout, adapted to the landscape, and is divided into four terraces. The synagogue was in the central location, and around it were the homes. The homes were of rectangular shape, with various compartmentalized rooms. The living quarters were elevated and a common feature was benches attached to the walls, kitchens, stand for earthenware jars, or cupboards.

Modern history

With the disappearance of the frontier after the conquest of Granada in 1492, Lorca Castle no longer became as important as before. With the expulsion of the Jews by order of Ferdinand and Isabella, Lorca Castle was also depopulated as a result. The castle was abandoned completely, and was almost a complete ruin by the 18th century. In the 19th century, the castle was refurbished due to the War of Spanish Independence. The walls and structures were repaired or modified and its medieval look changed. A battery of cannons was installed, for example, during this time. In 1931 Lorca Castle was declared a National Historic Monument.

Currently, a parador (luxury hotel) has been built within the castle. As a result, archaeological discoveries have been found, including the Jewish Quarter.

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