Saint-Martin church, church located in Harfleur (Seine-Maritime, Normandy, France)
Saint-Martin church is a Gothic church in Harfleur, built between the 14th and 16th centuries. Its tower is square below and octagonal above, with pointed openings and slender columns. A round clock with Roman numerals sits midway on the wall, below a band of carved stonework and beside a large traceried window.
Built between the 14th and 16th centuries, the church was classified as a monument historique in 1840. Its 19th-century stained glass by Drouin was partly destroyed on 11 December 1915 by an explosion at a munitions factory in Le Havre, and the rest was lost when the windows were removed in 1942. A 2006 competition for the fifteen bays was won in 2007 by Bernard Piffaretti with glassmakers Dominique Duchemin and Gilles Rousvoal; the new windows were installed between 2009 and 2011 and inaugurated in January 2012.
The church is dedicated to Saint Martin, a figure respected in France for his generosity and charitable acts. It has served the community for centuries as a place for worship, weddings, baptisms, and memorials where local people gather to celebrate their traditions.
The church is accessible to visitors year-round and located on quiet streets in central Harfleur, making it easy to explore on foot. The best time to visit is during daylight when the sun illuminates the stone architecture and windows from inside.
The fifteen stained-glass bays were recreated after a 2006 competition won in 2007 by painter Bernard Piffaretti with master glassmakers Dominique Duchemin and Gilles Rousvoal. Installed between 2009 and 2011, the windows were inaugurated in January 2012, replacing glazing destroyed in 1915 and 1942.
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