Saint-Martin Church

Étain, France

St. Martin church is a splendid building with an exceptionally beautiful Flamboyant Gothic chancel. It also contains a major work by Renaissance sculptor Ligier Richier, his Pietà. The church has been a historic monument since 1846 and it contains numerous works of art that have also been listed as historic monuments in their own right. The church was built in the 12th-13th centuries and it has been enlarged later.

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Details

Founded: 12th century
Category: Religious sites in France
Historical period: Birth of Capetian dynasty (France)

Rating

4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Solange “Effleurs l'atelier floral” Loutte (5 months ago)
Very beautiful church!
Jan Becher (2 years ago)
All Catholic churches are important. I particularly liked this beautiful church in Etain.
Chef Du Clan (2 years ago)
Magnificent, on our way to the Marguerre camps, we stopped to cool down. Church and monument to see
giovanni (2 years ago)
Very beautiful Church
Phidis Papa (2 years ago)
Exterior visit to the building several times and unfortunately an interior visit impossible with the door closed. Only one photo of the interior made possible from a broken stained glass window at its base and it's a shame because it's impressive, judging even more from the photos on the explanatory panel outside. The church has undergone numerous alterations over the centuries and was largely destroyed by the bombings of the 1914 war. We can only be amazed by the reconstruction work while respecting its original appearance. The Gothic style choir contrasts radically with the rest of the building which seems to have three distinct parts, the bell tower with a rather contemporary appearance, the central part or nave with Romanesque side aisles, matching what were undoubtedly apses with the exterior shapes of towers at the end of the church before a Gothic choir was added in the 15th century. All this, in the end, giving the building an appearance that is both superb and unique. The large and high stained glass windows at the end of the choir must undoubtedly enhance the light inside, looking forward to the opportunity to discover it...!
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