Ste-Marthe (Tarascon)

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Sainte-Marthe in Tarascon
Romanesque portal

The collegiate church Ste-Marthe in Tarascon , a town in the French department Bouches-du-Rhône in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region , was built at the end of the 12th century. It has been a protected cultural monument ( Monument historique ) since 1840 .

Legend

According to tradition, Martha von Bethanien is said to have come to southern France together with her siblings in 48 on the run from persecution. She is said to have founded a monastery near Marseille and led an ascetic life. She traveled to Tarascon - which was then called Nerluc - and there defeated the monster Tarasque . King Clovis I is said to have been healed by touching the Martha relics on a pilgrimage to Tarascon in 500 . They are said to have been lost later. In 1187, it is said, they were found again in the crypt of the old church and authenticated by miracles. This was the reason for the construction of today's church.

history

The Church of St. Martha was born on June 1, 1197 consecrated . The Romanesque church was Gothicized in the 14th century and underwent further changes in the 15th and 17th centuries. After war damage in 1944, large parts were restored.

South portal

The Romanesque south portal, the splendid sculptural decoration of which has been destroyed over time, is influenced by a gate of the Roman fortress wall of Nîmes . A blind arch gallery and an attic above it runs above a mighty round arch .

Bell tower

The Gothic bell tower was built on a Romanesque belfry in 1470 by order of King René . After its destruction in World War II , it was professionally restored in 1975.

inner space

Central nave

The church was built on a Gothic plan and completed in 1330. The main building rises on bundle pillars : the small ones support the ribbed vault and the large ones support the double arches. The side chapels were built into the walls of the side aisles during the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. The keystones in the vault show a coat of arms, Christ as the Lamb of God , St. George , the Archangel Michael and St. Martha . All around hang paintings, some of which date from the 16th century, including seven works by Joseph-Marie Vien that tell of the life of St. Martha. In the vestibule is the most valuable painting depicting the landing of St. Martha and her family. How the saint tames Tarasque is shown in a painting behind the pulpit by Charles André van Loo .

organ

View of the organ

The organ is attached to the partition between the nave and the vestibule. The work dates from 1484. The organ was built in 1604 by the organ builder Pierre Marchand as a one-manual instrument. In 1712 the instrument was transferred to St. Marthe and enlarged by Charles Boisselin and given a colored case. The organ has 26 stops on two manuals and a pedal and is a listed building.

I Grand Orgue C – f 3
1. Bourdon 16 ′
2. Montre 8th'
3. Bourdon 8th'
4th Viol 8th'
5. Prestant 4 ′
6th Flute 4 ′
7th Salicional 4 ′
8th. Duplicate 2 ′
(Continuation)
9. Flageolet 2 ′
10. Nazard 2 2 ⁄ 3  ′
11. Tierce 1 3 ⁄ 5  ′
12. Fittings VII
13. Cornet V
14th Trumpets 8th'
15th Clairon 4 ′
16. Cromorne 8th'
II Récit expressif C – f 3
17th Flûte traversière 8th'
18th Clarabella 8th'
19th Flûte harmonique 4 ′
20th Flute 2 ′
21st Cornet IV
22nd Trumpets 8th'
23. Hautbois basson 8th'
24. Voix humaine 8th'
Pedalef C – d 1
25th Flute 8th'
26th Trumpets 8th'

reliquary

Opposite the entrance to the Chapel of St. Martha is its reliquary made of gilded copper. It is a copy of the solid gold shrine dedicated to King Louis XI. Donated to the church in 1470 and weighed almost 30 kg. The king was a great admirer of the saints, so he raised the church to the rank of collegiate church , which corresponds to the rank of Notre-Dame in Paris.

cenotaph

On the landing to the crypt stands the cenotaph made by Francesco Laurana . The holes in its front once allowed pilgrims to touch the relics.

Further down is the grave of the royal governor for Provence, Jean Cossa . After the death of the loyal king, King René also commissioned Francesco Laurana to build the tomb. As a token of the governor's loyalty, he had his dog chiseled at the dead man's feet. This tomb is a remarkable example of the Italian Renaissance on French soil.

crypt

The crypt dates back to the 1st century, the sarcophagus from the 3rd century. The side walls have reliefs with biblical scenes. The heads of those portrayed were cut off in 1653 when workers put on a marble figure. This order came from the then Avignon Archbishop Marinis, which is reminiscent of a votive plaque in the chapel.

literature

Web links

Commons : Ste-Marthe (Tarascon)  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Building description and legend (English)
  2. ↑ a b c d e f Information sheet from Tourist Info Tarascon
  3. ↑ Information on the organ

Coordinates: 43 ° 48 ′ 20.2 "  N , 4 ° 39 ′ 21.9"  E