Basilica of St. Martin, Tours

About

The Saint Martin de Tours Basilica is a Catholic religious building located in Tours in the Old Towers district, whose crypt houses the tomb of Saint Martin de Tours. The former Saint-Martin de Tours collegial church, which was essentially dating back to the 11th century, was decommissioned, vandalized and converted into a stable in 1793, then demolished following the collapse of the vaults in 1797, only two towers being preserved. The present, much more modest basilica was built between 1886 and 1902 in the neo-Byzantine style by architect Victor Laloux (opening in 1890).

It is a building in limestone, granite and marble, covered with slates. For the murals, the architect addressed Pierre Fritel, and the decoration works were carried out with the help of artist-painter and decorator Adrien Lavieille, son of Eugene Lavieille. A monumental statue of Saint Martin, in bronze, designed to adorn the dome, was commissioned by the sculptor Jean-Baptiste Hugues (price of Rome in 1875).

Victor Thiébaut, a founder, delivered it in 1889. The building was consecrated as a basilica on July 4, 1925. The remains of the old collegiate church (the Charlemagne Tower, the Clock Tower...