La collégiale Saint Martin - Colmars, France
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member YvesProvence
N 44° 10.856 E 006° 37.600
32T E 310297 N 4894707
La collégiale Saint Martin à Colmars
Waymark Code: WMYYWZ
Location: Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
Date Posted: 08/13/2018
Published By:Groundspeak Regular Member Math Teacher
Views: 5
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FR L'histoire de Colmars raconte l'église de "St Jean hors les murs" détruite par l'incendie de 1672.Elle fût reconstruite sur le même emplacement entre 1681 et 1696 et incluse dans l’enceinte fortifiée mais sous le vocable d’église saint Martin.

L'église saint Martin est conçue comme un élément fortifié obstruant un point faible dans la ligne des remparts. Elle est dépouillée et plutôt austère et présente un style gothique provençal (un mélange des arts roman et gothique)

Le portail de l'édifice précédent (Saint Jean hors les murs) a été remployé, il porte des inscriptions latines et la date de 1530 ainsi que le nom de l'architecte flamand Mathieu d'Anvers et la devise "AL OM BETTER" "que tout aille mieux".
Ceci a souvent induit le visiteur en erreur d'autant plus que la large nef de l'église conserve le recouvrement gothique des croisées d'ogives. Les nervures sont reliées par un claveau cruciforme. Une voûte d'ogives à 6 nervures tombant sur des culots coniques et à clé plate datée 1696 couvre le chœur polygonal. Les doubleaux en arc plein cintre très surbaissés caractérisent l'architecture du 17ème siècle. Des arcades transversales tombant sur des petits pilastres ouvrent sur l'unique collatéral voûté.

La toiture très longtemps recouverte de bardeaux de mélèze a été refaite avec des tuiles vernissées multicolores (vertes, rouges, jaunes).

le clocher utilise ses différentes couleurs pour dessiner une croix qui surmonte les 4 cloches, au-dessus des 4 horloges blanches aux aiguilles et chiffres romains noirs.

A découvrir dans l'église parmi de nombreux tableaux :
  • le retable du rosaire, du XVIIe siècle
  • le retable des Âmes du Purgatoire, daté des années 1740, classé
  • le chemin de croix restauré
  • les armoiries du village sur l'un des piliers
EN The history of Colmars tells the story of the church of "St Jean hors les murs" destroyed by the fire of 1672, rebuilt on the same site between 1681 and 1696 and included in the fortified enclosure but under the name of Saint Martin's church.

The church of Saint Martin is designed as a fortified element blocking a weak point in the line of the ramparts. It is bare and rather austere and presents a Provençal Gothic style (a mixture of Romanesque and Gothic arts).

The portal of the previous building (Saint John outside the walls) has been replaced, it bears Latin inscriptions and the date 1530 as well as the name of the Flemish architect Mathieu d'Anvers and the motto "AL OM BETTER" "let everything get better".
This has often misled the visitor all the more as the large nave of the church retains the Gothic covering of the ribs. The ribs are connected by a cruciform key. The polygonal choir is covered by a six-rib vault of ribbed warheads falling on conical, flat-keeled bases dated 1696. The semi-circular double arches, which are very low, characterise 17th century architecture. Transverse arches falling on small pilasters open on the only vaulted collateral.

The roof has been covered with larch shingles for a very long time and has been redone with multicoloured glazed tiles (green, red, yellow).

the bell tower uses its different colours to draw a cross that surmounts the 4 bells, above the 4 white clocks with black Roman hands and numbers.

To discover in the church among many paintings :
  • the altarpiece of the rosary, from the 17th century
  • the altarpiece of the Souls of Purgatory, dated 1740s, classified
  • the restored Way of the Cross
  • the coat of arms of the village on one of the pillars


Source : La collégiale sur le site de la commune
Date the Church was built, dedicated or cornerstone laid: 01/01/1696

Age of Church building determined by?: Historical Society

If denomination of Church is not part of the name, please provide it here: Catholic

Street address of Church:
Grande rue
Colmars, France
04370

Primary website for Church or Historic Church Building: [Web Link]

Secondary Website for Church or Historic Church Building: [Web Link]

If Church is open to the public, please indicate hours: Not listed

If Church holds a weekly worship service and "all are welcome", please give the day of the week: Not listed

Indicate the time that the primary worship service is held. List only one: Not Listed
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YvesProvence visited La collégiale Saint Martin - Colmars, France 07/05/2019 YvesProvence visited it