Église Saint-Martin, 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.

Église Saint-Martin de Marmoutier
Abbatiale de Marmoutier
Lateral view of the formerly abbey church
LocationMarmoutier
CountryFrance
DenominationCatholic
History
Former name(s)Abteikirche Maursmünster
Abbatiale Saint-Étienne de Marmoutier
StatusParish church
Founded6th century
DedicationSaint Stephen (formerly)
Saint Martin (currently)
Architecture
Heritage designationMonument historique
Designated1840
StyleRomanesque
Gothic
Gothic Revival
Groundbreaking1150
Completed1770
Specifications
Length74 m (243 ft)
Materialspink Vosges sandstone
Administration
ParishCommunauté de paroisses «Terres et eaux de Marmoutier»
ArchdioceseStrasbourg

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.

  • 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. "Eglise abbatiale Saint-Etienne". Ministère de la Culture. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  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. "Ensemble des stalles et des lambris du choeur". culture.gouv.fr. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
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