Construction of the Romanesque nave XIIe siècle (≈ 1250)
Vaulted in broken cradles, dependent on Saint-Victor.
XIVe siècle
Addition of the southern collateral
Addition of the southern collateral XIVe siècle (≈ 1450)
Vaulted on cross of warheads, Gothic style.
XVe siècle
Northern chapel and bell tower
Northern chapel and bell tower XVe siècle (≈ 1550)
Dedicated to Saint Martin, shaped in Latin cross.
1890-1898
Wall paintings by Gibelin
Wall paintings by Gibelin 1890-1898 (≈ 1894)
Scenes of Saint Martin and the Virgin.
1959
Registration for Historic Monuments
Registration for Historic Monuments 1959 (≈ 1959)
Protection of the building and its furniture.
2016
Restoration of stained glass windows
Restoration of stained glass windows 2016 (≈ 2016)
19th century stained glass restored.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Church (cd. 20): inscription by order of 6 May 1959
Key figures
Esprit Michel Gibelin - Aixian painter
Author of frescoes (1890-1898), student of Cézanne.
Jean Giono - Writer
She married her daughter in the 1960s.
Enrico Campagnola - Sculptor
Author of the statue of a pilgrim (1970s).
Origin and history
The Saint-Martin de Saint-Martin-de-Brômes church, built mainly in the 12th century, is a former priory dependent on the Saint-Victor Abbey of Marseille. His Romanesque nave, vaulted in slightly broken cradles, and his cul-de-four choir testify to this period. Subsequent additions — a southern Gothic collateral (14th century), a northern chapel dedicated to Saint Martin (15th), and a pyramidal bell tower (15th-XVIth) — give him a Latin cross structure. The building harmoniously blends Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque styles, with elements such as an 18th century golden tabernacle and 19th century stained glass windows restored in 2016.
The murals, made between 1890 and 1898 by Esprit Michel Gibelin, a pupil of Cézanne, illustrate scenes of the life of Saint Martin (partition of the mantle, miraculous Mass) and of the Virgin. These paintings, classified or listed in the Monuments Historiques, are alongside remarkable statues: a nativity of 1614, a Saint Anthony of the Desert (XVIIth-XVIIIth) linked to the local trufficulture, and a Saint Philomena (XIXth). The church, registered in 1959, also served as a cinematic decoration (film Mal de Pierres) and as a place of marriage for Jean Giono's daughter in the 1960s.
The building dominates the village from the tower areas, emphasizing its central role in community and religious life. Its movable heritage — a procession banner (XIXe), statue of a pilgrim by Enrico Campagnola (1970s) — reflects a living history, between local devotion and cultural influence. The recent restorations (vitrals in 2016) and its protection under the Historic Monuments ensure the sustainability of this Alpes-de-Haute-Provence witness.
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