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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Martin d'Harfleur church, located in the Seine-Maritime department in Normandy, is an emblematic model of regional Gothic architecture. Built between the 14th and 16th centuries, it embodies the stylistic evolutions of this period, combining structural elegance and religious symbolism. Ranked as a historical monument in 1840, it bears witness to the heritage importance recognized very early by the French authorities.

The church stained glass windows, installed in the middle of the 19th century by master glassman Drouin, suffered two major destructions: first in 1915 during the explosion of an ammunition factory in Le Havre, then in 1942 during their deposit. A competition launched in 2006 allowed their rehabilitation, entrusted to Bernard Piffaretti and master glassmakers Dominique Duchemin and Gilles Rousvoal. The new stained glass windows, laid between 2009 and 2011, were inaugurated in January 2012, giving the building its original coloured light.

The church of Saint Martin, owned by the commune of Harfleur, remains an active place of worship and a symbol of Norman religious heritage. Its early ranking (1840) and its recent restoration illustrate the constant desire to preserve this Gothic gem, while adapting to contemporary issues of cultural and tourist transmission. The accuracy of its location (19 Rue des 104) and its address referenced in the Mérimée base make it a monument easily accessible to visitors.

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