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Origin and history

The church of Saint-Martin de Baume-les-Dames finds its origins in the ninth century, the time of its first construction. She was placed under the patronage of Saint Martin, a Roman soldier who had become hermit after sharing her coat with a poor man. According to tradition, this saint would have passed through Baume-les-Dames, justifying the choice of his name for the building. This first place of worship, which has now disappeared, already marked the religious importance of the city, linked to the presence of a nearby abbey, that of Sainte-Odile.

The major reconstruction of the church took place between 1617 and 1621, under the direction of architects Perrin and Roussel. This first quarter of the 17th century site gives the monument its current structure, typical of post-Renaissance religious architecture. The bell tower, originally erected in 1738, was entirely redesigned between 1825 and 1828 by architect Pierre Marnotte, who also designed the façade and the inner stand. Originally surmounted by a dome and a lantern that peaked at 68 metres, he lost this height after an accidental fire on 14 July 1920, reducing his size to 38 metres and giving him a roof terrace.

The church houses exceptional furniture, partly from the former Abbey of Sainte-Odile. Among the pieces protected are a pieta of 1549, a statue of Sainte Barbe (XVI century), or a stone lutrin of Sampans and wrought iron, created in 1751 by Nicolas Nicole. These elements, classified as historical monuments between 1908 and 1962, testify to the artistic and spiritual richness of the place. The building itself has been listed as historic monuments since 18 January 1939, recognizing its heritage value.

Linked to the diocese of Besançon, Saint Martin's church remains today the centre of the local parish. Its history reflects the architectural and religious evolutions of the region, from the Middle Ages to the contemporary era, while preserving tangible traces of its abbatial past and its devotion to St Martin.

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