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Origin and history

The fortified bell tower of Martrin is a tower built in 1392, integrated into the church of Notre-Dame-de-Septembre. Originally, only the upper part (bell floor and watchroom) remains of the medieval structure. The tower also housed a chapel of Notre-Dame and a vaulted room, transformed in 1491 by the Commander Pénavayre de Salès, member of the Hospitallers of Saint John of Jerusalem. This monument reflects the need to protect the inhabitants from the threats of roadmen in the 14th century.

The church was originally a commandary of the Hospitallers, as evidenced by the Tomb of the Commander, a sarcophagus in fine sandstone adorned with crosses and gothic coats of arms. Dated from the late 15th or early 16th century, this tomb belonged to Pénavayre de Salès, whose weapons appear on the vault key of the chapel. Opened during the Revolution, it contained two swords and human remains. The chapel, originally dedicated to Notre-Dame-de-Salvation, is now called Saint-Clément.

The building, in ruins at the beginning of the 20th century, was rebuilt between 1903 and 1905 by retaining only the original tower. He was enrolled in the Historical Monuments in 1927. The construction of stoneware and stoneware, as well as the defensive elements, illustrate the adaptation of wheeled churches to medieval conflicts. The tower served both as a refuge for the property and inhabitants of Martrin, and as a symbol of the power of the Hospitallers in the region.

Martrin, in Aveyron, was a strategic place for the Order of St John of Jerusalem, as evidenced by the insignia of the Knights of Malta engraved on the tomb. The eight-pointed cross and the shields recall their religious and military influence. The fortified bell tower thus embodies both an architectural heritage and a historical memory linked to hospital orders in Occitanie.

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