The Église Saint-Martin in Laon, located in the Aisne department, France, is an impressive example of medieval architecture. Let's look at the history and features of this church:
Historical background:
Construction of the Église Saint-Martin began in the second half of the 12th century. It was originally intended for a congregation of Premonstratensians.
The construction followed a chronological order: first the choir (around 1160), then covered with a wooden roof between 1226 and 1240, followed by the transept and the nave.
Around 1190 the original wooden roof was replaced by a vault supported by buttresses. The southern facade of the transept was also built.
Construction of the towers continued until the end of the 13th century, with the original spiers removed in 1605.
The western facade was only started around 1270. In addition, an abbey palace and a pavilion were built in the garden, known as the “vide-bouteilles” (bottle rack), between 1616 and 1621.
After the French Revolution:
After the French Revolution, the church became a parish church, while the other buildings were transformed into a hospital in 1810.
In 1944 a bombardment was carried out which destroyed all the surrounding buildings, exposing the medieval facades of the cellar and refectory.
The building was classified as a historic monument in 1862 and registered in 1951.