Église Saint-Martin, Marmoutier

Église Saint-Martin de Marmoutier
Abbatiale de Marmoutier
Lateral view of the formerly abbey church
48°41′26″N 7°22′57″E
Location	Marmoutier
Country	France
Denomination	Catholic
History
Former name(s)	Abteikirche Maursmünster Abbatiale Saint-Étienne de Marmoutier
Status	Parish church
Founded	6th century
Dedication	Saint Stephen (formerly) Saint Martin (currently)
Architecture
Heritage designation	Monument historique
Designated	1840
Style	Romanesque Gothic Gothic Revival
Groundbreaking	1150
Completed	1770
Specifications
Length	74 m (243 ft)
Materials	pink Vosges sandstone
Administration
Archdiocese	Strasbourg
Parish	Communauté de paroisses «Terres et eaux de Marmoutier»

Église Saint-Martin is the parish church of the small commune of Marmoutier, in the Bas-Rhin department of France. The church used to belong to Marmoutier Abbey and to be dedicated to Saint Stephen; it is still known as église (church), or abbatiale (abbey church) Saint-Étienne.

Built over a period of over 700 years, Marmoutier's church has a length of 74 metres (243 feet),[1][2] and grows younger from West to East: the facade with its porch tower is Romanesque, the nave is Gothic, and the choir was rebuilt in the years 1765–1770 in an early Gothic Revival style.[3] It is classified as a Monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture since 1840,[4] making it a part of the very first list of such heritage buildings, and is a stage on the Romanesque Road of Alsace.[5]

The western facade of Marmoutier's church is famous for its massive but well balanced architecture,[6] while inside, the 1710 pipe organ by Andreas Silbermann (completed in 1746 by his son, Johann Andreas Silbermann, and restored several times since)[7][8] and the 18th-century choir stalls[9] are among the most notable items on display.

Gallery

• 
  Upper part of the west facade
• 
  Inside, looking east
• 
  The 1710 pipe organ
• 
  The 18th-century choir

References

1. "Floor plan 1". encyclopedie.bseditions.fr. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
2. "Floor plan 2". crdp-strasbourg.fr. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
3. "Marmoutier" (PDF). La Route Romane d′Alsace. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
4. Base Mérimée: Eglise abbatiale Saint-Etienne, Ministère français de la Culture. (in French)
5. "MARMOUTIER, église Saint-Martin". La Route Romane d′Alsace. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
6. Kubach, Hans Erich (1986). Romanik. Stuttgart: Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt. ISBN 3421028583.
7. "Marmoutier, Abbatiale St. Etienne". aeolus-music.com. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
8. "Marmoutier, St-Etienne". A la découverte de l'Orgue Orgues d'Alsace. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
9. Base Palissy: Ensemble des stalles et des lambris du choeur, Ministère français de la Culture. (in French)

External links

• L'église abbatiale, un trésor, on the website of the Musée du patrimoine et du judaïsme alsacien de Marmoutier [fr]