Church of Saint John the Baptist

Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Jean-Baptiste church in Baie-Mahault, built in 1931 by architect Ali Tur, embodies the architectural renewal after Hurricane Okeechobee (1928) in Guadeloupe. Art Deco-style reinforced concrete work mixed with Sudanese influences, it is distinguished by its two lateral cylinders inspired by North American silos, and an open-worked claustra façade that provides ventilation and natural light. Its floor in coloured tile delimits liturgical spaces with geometric motifs.

Ali Tur, a specialist in reconstruction after the 1928 disaster, designed the church and its presbytery in a few months for FRF 850,000, applying its modular principles. The main nave, flanked by two lateral naves, adopts a characteristic ternary rhythm, while the wooden parsians and bell towers emphasize its functional aesthetic. The chapel of the nearby Retreat was attached to it from the beginning.

Listed as a historic monument on May 5, 2017, the church also benefits from the 20th century Heritage label. Its architecture, homogeneous and representative of tropical modernism, makes it a key testimony of the adaptation of European currents to the Guadeloupe climate and cultural constraints. Le Corbusier's influences, via the Montreal elevators, are palpable, as are the innovative use of local materials.

A communal property, the building is located on Rue du Maréchal-Foch, in a district marked by the reconstruction after 1928. Its ranking underscores its role in the urban history of Baie-Mahault, as well as the heritage value of the work of Ali Tur, a prolific architect in Guadeloupe between 1928 and 1940. The sources, including Monumentum and Wikipedia, highlight his interest in Persians and natural ventilation, central themes of his achievements.

External links