Church of Saint Martin à Hangest-en-Santerre dans la Somme

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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Saint-Martin church of Hangest-en-Santerre, located in the Somme department, replaces a medieval building destroyed during the First World War. Its reconstruction, carried out between 1927 and 1931, was entrusted to the architect Godefroy Teisseire, known for his work on other churches in the region such as Chaulnes and Lamotte-Warfusée. The building adopts a Romano-Byzantine style, with a Greek cross plan and a dome surmounted by a bell tower. Its reinforced concrete structure is covered with cut stone, reflecting interwar construction techniques.

The interior of the church preserves surviving elements of the old building, including several objects classified as historical monuments: a sculpted group of Saint Martin's Charity (late 16th century), a Virgin of Pitié (XVIth century), and carved wooden panels from the former organ stand (first half of the 16th century). The stained glass windows, made by Raphaël Lardeur, and the murals of Georges Lecomte, a Rouennais artist, adorn the apse and the dome, adding a major artistic dimension to the building.

Ranked as a historical monument in 2005 (after a first partial inscription in 1994 for its interior decoration), this church illustrates efforts to rebuild religious heritage in areas devastated by the Great War. Its hybrid architecture, combining concrete modernity and Byzantine references, makes it a unique testimony to local history and post-war restoration techniques. The 19th and 16th century statues, like those of Saint Catherine and Saint Nicholas, recall the rich past of the original building.

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