Destruction of the Apollo Temple 376 (≈ 376)
Saint Martin erected a Christian chapel.
VIe siècle
Foundation of the Oratory
Foundation of the Oratory VIe siècle (≈ 650)
At the request of Queen Brunehaut.
XVIe siècle
End of Benedictine monastery
End of Benedictine monastery XVIe siècle (≈ 1650)
Becoming a parish church until the 18th.
1789
Sale as a national good
Sale as a national good 1789 (≈ 1789)
Turned into a prison and then a mill.
1989
Historical Monument
Historical Monument 1989 (≈ 1989)
Protection of the building and its crypt.
2019
Renovation price
Renovation price 2019 (≈ 2019)
Rewards for its private restoration.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Saint-Martin-du-Bourg Church (old) and its crypt; ground consisting of the three spans of nave missing at the site of the Saint-Martin impasse (Box AH 47): classification by order of 2 October 1989
Key figures
Saint Martin - Bishop of Tours
Destroyed the temple of Apollo in 376.
Brunehaut - Queen of the Francs
Sponsored an oratory in the sixth century.
Patrice Besse et Dominique de La Fouchardière - Patrons
Support for the 2019 renovation price.
Origin and history
The church of Saint-Martin-du-Bourg, located in Avallon, Yonne, finds its origins in a Celtic shrine dedicated to Belenos, god of light, replaced in Gallo-Roman times by a temple dedicated to Apollo. The latter was destroyed in 376 by Saint Martin, who erected a Christian chapel there. Four columns in cipolin marble, remains of this ancient temple, were reused in the choir of the present church.
In the 6th century, Queen Brunehaut built an oratory dedicated to Saint Martin, later transformed into a Benedictine monastery under the authority of the Abbey of Autun. The site became a place of intense pilgrimage, then a parish church until the 18th century. After the Revolution, the building was sold as a national property, successively serving as a prison, barracks, milling plant, and then a municipal warehouse before its classification at the Historic Monuments in 1989.
Today, the church belongs to a private owner who ensures the renovation. She only visits by appointment or at cultural events. His restoration project received in 2019 the award of the young owner of historical monuments, stressing its heritage importance in the Burgundy-Franche-Comté region.
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