Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption de Saint-Pierre (Martinique)
Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption , formerly Notre-Dame-du-Bon-Port , is a former cathedral built in 1675 on the site of a previous building, dedicated to the Assumption of Our Lady, in the Quartier du Mouillage in Saint-Pierre in France Martinique overseas department ( Antilles ). The glowing cloud that followed the eruption of the Montagne Pelée volcano in 1902 destroyed the building with the exception of the lower area. It was rebuilt between 1923 and 1929. The owned a cultural association, as historique monument classified church and its courtyard are under since March 16, 1995 listed .
history
The current building replaced a chapel, which was built in 1654 when the Dominican order was founding a monastery , but was soon also used by the parish, which was bombed by the English in 1667. The construction of the second church, of which only the lower storey of the nave and transept and the north tower remain, was completed in 1675 thanks to the help of the officers and sailors of the Royal Fleet du Ponant - with the exception of the first one hundred and ten years later completed towers.
When Pope Pius IX. Martinique was elevated to a diocese on December 1, 1850 , he initially designated the church of Saint-Louis de Fort-de-France as a bishopric, but Monseigneur Leherpeur, the first bishop of this diocese, preferred to reside in Saint-Pierre Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption the rank of cathedral and was enlarged in the years 1855-1856.
Before the catastrophic volcanic eruption of May 8, 1902, which destroyed the entire place and, with the exception of two (according to other sources, three) residents of the then island capital, no one survived, numerous Pierrotins had gathered here for common prayer on this Ascension Thursday . The architect Touin built today's church over the ruins from 1923, the structure of which is largely similar to the previous one. An important donor in the context of this project was Victor Depaz, the only survivor and heir of the very wealthy Pierrotin family, who owned the Habitation Depaz estate and its sugar cane plantation .
architecture
The south-facing three-part and two-storey double tower facade has three round arched portals . The main portal is accompanied on both sides by a pilaster with a Tuscan capital and a niche. On the upper floor, several arched windows ensure a generous incidence of light: a large one above the main portal, two low and narrow ones above the niches, and two more above the side portals. The two massive facade towers, which were closed with a simple tent roof in 1885, rise above the side sections. The latter received new bells in 1925.
decoration
The interior is adorned with stained glass windows illustrating the lives of various saints. The remarkable white marble high altar , temporarily transported to the Musée de Cluny in Paris , returned to its original location in 1939. The stoup remained in the Saint-Laurent church in Paris ( 10th arrondissement ).
Web links
- Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption Web presence of the Archdiocese of Saint-Pierre et Fort-de-France (French)
- Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption website of the French Ministry of Culture (French)
Coordinates: 14 ° 44 ′ 25.8 " N , 61 ° 10 ′ 32.3" W.