Church of St. Martin |
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Construction of the temple began, at the behest of Bishop Eracle, in 962 or 963, and completed in 971. In 1312 the church was destroyed and then rebuilt. In 1542 the temple was rebuilt in the style we can admire today. The church of Saint Martin, next to the cathedral of St. Paul and collegiate church of St. James, one of the greatest churches in Liege. In 1247, the feast of Corpus Christi was celebrated here for the first time.
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The church is over 76 meters long, and 21 meters wide. It is a three-nave church. Its naves are supported by octagonal columns, surrounded at an angle by semi-cylindrical columns.
Klerestorium (the architectural term for a wall with windows protruding above the roof of the aisle, mainly in Romanesque and Gothic churches. Klerestorium provided light in the interior of the building) has a three-leaf window division, with a rounded apex. The ends of the transept are crowned with magnificent windows in a magnificent style.
Klerestorium (the architectural term for a wall with windows protruding above the roof of the aisle, mainly in Romanesque and Gothic churches. Klerestorium provided light in the interior of the building) has a three-leaf window division, with a rounded apex. The ends of the transept are crowned with magnificent windows in a magnificent style.
Church of Sts. Martin has only one entrance. In the place where the main entrance was to be formed square tower, with a pyramidal roof, surrounded by a balustrade. Once a year, in August, you can go out on the roof of the tower and enjoy the beautiful panorama of Liege.
Inside, there is a calvary from the beginning of the 16th century, the mausoleum of Bishop Eracle, a 16th-century polychrome wooden statue of the Virgin Mary, the chapel of St. Sacrament, decorated with a medallion created by the artist Del Cour (1704), excellent stained glass (1526-1527) depicting the feast of Corpus Christi. In the crypt, a tomb of black marble from Theux, superior of St. Martin, Konrad de Grave (1602).
On the night of 3 on 4 August 1312, the patricians (privileged, upper social class) attacked priests and guild members gathered in the church of St. Marcin during the election of a new bishop. The conflict escalated. Eventually, guild members called for meals. Patricians, together with city officials hid inside the church under which a fire was set. About 200 patricians and 10 of 14 officials were killed in the fire and from the wounds inflicted by the attackers. This dramatic episode in the history of the church was called Mal Saint-Martin.
Feast of Corpus Christi
The immediate cause of the holiday was the apparitions of Blessed Julianna of Cornillon, who had a view of a shining shield with a dark spot, which was interpreted as a sign of the lack of a special day dedicated to the Blessed Sacrament in the liturgical calendar. Under the influence of these apparitions, Bishop Liege Robert of Thourotte established such a holiday in 1246 in Liege. In 1294, Pope Urban IV introduced them as Corporis Christi Festum throughout the church.
Address:
Rue du Mont St Martin 64, 4000 Liege |
Opening hours:
monday-saturday: 14.00- 18.00 Sunday: 14.00- 12.30 and 14.00 -18.00 |
Ticket price:
Free entrance |
Going up the street, about a hundred meters from the church, on the we hit on one of the most charming places in Liege. It is a place that visitors often on postcards and tourist brochures.