Basilica of Saint Martin, Tours

The Basilica of St. Martin is a Roman Catholic basilica dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours, over whose tomb it was built. It is located in Tours, France.

The Basilica
Tomb of Saint Martin

The first basilica was established here in the 5th century (consecrated in 471) on the site of an earlier chapel.[1] It was at first served by a community of monks under an abbot, the Abbot of St Martin, who between 796 and 804 was Alcuin, the adviser of Charlemagne. Shortly before this the monastic establishment was changed to a collegiate church manned by a community of canons, but the office and title of abbot persisted.[2]


The mediaeval basilica was completely demolished during the French Revolution (see Martin of Tours#The shrine and the devotion).[1]

The present church was built between 1886 and 1924 by French architect Victor Laloux in a neo-Byzantine style, on part of the site of the original basilica which was repurchased by the Church. It was dedicated on July 4, 1925.[1]

References
  1. Basilique Saint Martin de Tours official website (in French)
  2. Jean Chelini: "Alcuin, Charlemagne et Saint-Martin de Tours" (Revue d'histoire de l'Église de France Année 1961 144, pp. 19-50) - online version (in French)
  • Official webpage for the Basilica
  • Sacred destinations

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.