Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The church Saint-Martin-de-Tours d'Acigné is the parish church of the commune of Acigné, Brittany. Its history dates back to at least the 12th century, with a first mention of a church in 1160. This original building was rebuilt in the 16th and 17th centuries, before falling into ruins.

In 1901, the church, then in poor condition, was completely rebuilt according to the plans of architect Arthur Regnault. The work was completed in 1904. The new church incorporates many furniture elements from the old one, thus preserving part of its historical heritage.

The church's stained glass windows, contemporaneous with its reconstruction, are remarkable for their iconography and donors. Among them is the window of the Annunciation, offered by Pierre Lalouyer, who became bishop in Manchuria, or that of the Holy Family, linked to Pope Pius X. Other stained glass windows celebrate local figures, such as Saint Martin evangelizing the Rennes countryside, or Breton pilgrimages, such as that of Sainte-Anne-d'Auray. Each window bears the names of donors, often religious or civilian personalities from Acigné.

The rosace, representing a choir of angels according to their heavenly hierarchy, and the window of St.Louis reporting the crown of thorns of Christ illustrate the diversity of the themes addressed. These works, made in the style of the time, reflect both the local devotion and the artistic influences of the early twentieth century.

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