Chablis, Église Saint-Martin

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    History

    In 867 Charles the Bald gave to the monks of Saint-Martin of Tours a cella located on the river Serien in the pays de Tonnerre. In 853 the monks of Tours fled the Vikings, bringing with them the body of Saint Martin -- body remained in Chablis for a short time. In memory of this event the dedication of the church was changed from Saint-Loup to Saint-Martin. The area was a dependance of Saint-Martin of Tours; count of Champagne had limited power Collegiate church and priory of S-Martin, Tours. 1212 purchase of a lapidicina from monks of Pontigny. Work on the choir began around this time. 1279 prebends of first-year canons assigned to fabric for construction of church "begun a long time ago." This must be the second campaign on the western end 1509 consecration. Extensive work on the church in the 17th century

    Date

    Begun ca. 1212

    Plan

    Three sexpartite vaulted bays. Five-segment hemicycle linked with easternmonst straight bay. No transept. Western frontispiece redone 17th C

    Elevation

    Three story elevation. Monolithic piers in hemicycle. Middle level is large triforium looking like a gallery and small clerestory with no passage.

    Chronology

    Starting of at the east end in 1212, the early work included the chevet and one double bay of the nave with an additional major pier in the south arcade. Work must have then lapsed and resumed in the late thirteenth century, including the rest of the nave and western frontispiece reaching the west façade by 1279.

    Significance

    Branner thinks that masons came from Vézelay and Pontigny. But the main point of reference was Sens. Slow steady broad rhythm

    Canejo, C. M., Transforming Early Gothic Form: The Cistercian church of Pontigny, Saint-Martin at Chablis, and northern Burgundian architecture, Santa Barbara, 2005
    Salet, F., "Chablis," Cong arch, 116, 1958, 197-213