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Origin and history

The abbey of Saint-Martin de Laon found its origins in the 12th century, when Bishop Barthélemy de Jur installed Norbert de Xanten in 1119 to reform a chapter of Canons. Faced with failure, Norbert founded the order of the Premonstrated in 1121, and the abbey was officially established in 1124 with twelve regular canons. The church, built between 1135 and 1200, was enlarged to accommodate up to 500 brothers, with major architectural changes such as the addition of vaults and bows.

In the 13th century, the western facade was erected, inspired by the arrival of a relic of Saint Laurent around 1230, represented on the tympanum of the northern gate. The abbey, rich in relics (fragment of the Cross, bones of saints), became a place of pilgrimage and indulgence, attracting crowds at annual fairs. In 1340, Abbé Jean de Bruyères strengthened the monastery against external threats.

In the 18th century, the abbey was gradually integrated into the bishopric of Laon after negotiations led by Bishop Étienne-Joseph de La Fare. The papal bubbles of 1730 formalized this union, ending as a regular abbot. The buildings were partially rebuilt (1736-1788), but the Revolution transformed the church into a parish and other spaces into a Hôtel-Dieu in 1810. A bombardment in 1944 destroyed some of the structures, revealing medieval elements like the cellar.

Today, the site houses a hospital and a media library in the old cloister. The church, always parish, preserves traces of its glorious past, marked by its spiritual role, relics and architecture combining Romanesque and Gothic styles. The remains of the 17th and 18th century reconstructions, such as the Abbatial Palace or the suspended staircase, bear witness to its evolution over the centuries.

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