Église Saint-Martin de Sare, Church building in Sare, France.

Église Saint-Martin de Sare is a fortified church in the centre of Sare, built of brown stone and white-rendered walls. Its square tower rises to 30 m, and the interior nave is 36.75 m long, 15.80 m wide and 12.75 m high, with three levels of wooden galleries in a U shape providing about 700 seats.

The church first appears in historical records in 1142 in the Golden Book of Bayonne Cathedral and received major elevation work in 1641 under priest Pedro de Axular. These changes shaped the structure visitors see today.

The three U-shaped wooden galleries, added from 1556 following the model of Basque trinquets, gave the church about 700 seats. A plaque inside marks the seat and tomb of the benoîtes, the community of women who served the parish. On the tower wall, above the clock, an inscription reads: "Every hour strikes a man; the last sends him to the grave."

The building is accessible year-round with free admission, allowing visitors to wander freely through the interior. Guides are available in French and Basque if you want to learn more about the details.

On the bell tower wall, above the clock, a plaque reads in Basque: "Oren guziek dute gizona kolpatzen azkenekoak du hobirat egortzen" — every hour strikes the man, the last sends him to the grave. Inside, a plaque marks the seat and vault of the benoîtes, the parish's lay women.