Église Saint-Martin de Luché-Pringé, Plantagenet Gothic church in Luché-Pringé, France.
Église Saint-Martin de Luché-Pringé is a parish church built of pale, irregular stone blocks, with a tall, steep slate roof and a narrow spire with a small finial above a gabled section. A row of pointed arched windows runs along the lower side wall, and a large plain arched window sits on the side facade. A smaller stone annex with a lower tiled roof and a round window adjoins the base, behind a low stone wall with a gatepost.
Monks from Saint-Aubin Abbey in Angers built this structure in the 11th century, replacing an earlier sanctuary dedicated to Saint Apollonia. The choir was completed in 1225, representing an architectural shift that shaped the building we see today.
The church is named after Saint Martin, to whom the monks of Saint-Aubin Abbey founded a priory here in 1057. The place beside the church, to the south, keeps the name of Sainte-Apolline, the saint of the earlier sanctuary, and its well is fed by a spring rising under the choir. The building remains the parish church of Luché-Pringé.
This building is open to visitors every day throughout the year with no admission fee required. Since it remains an active parish church where services take place, visiting times may be limited during religious ceremonies.
A 16th-century walnut carving of the Lamentation of Christ is classified as a historical monument and stands out as a masterwork of carved art. This sculpture represents one of the most valuable pieces in the church's collection and receives special protection.
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