Eglise Saint Martin

The Saint-Martin church of Montmédy is the parish church of Saint-Martin located in the upper town of Montmédy.

Montmédy is a small town in northeastern France, in Lorraine, in the Meuse department, and a short distance from the Franco-Belgian border. The Saint-Martin parish church is situated in Montmédy's upper town. This part of the city, perched on its rocky outcrop, is surrounded by a fortified enclosure. These fortifications are owed to Charles V, who, in 1545, wished to make this place a base of resistance against the Kingdom of France. Besieged, the city eventually surrendered to the French in 1657. Vauban then undertook defensive improvements in the second half of the 17th century, making the enclosure one of the most important in the northeast. It is therefore understandable that the architecture within the fortifications is largely military.

From atop its rock, the Saint-Martin church and its two square towers are visible for miles around. When crossing the bridge giving access to the upper town, one almost comes face to face with the edifice. Its imposing architecture dominates the Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville. As its name suggests, in the 17th century, the town hall and the sub-prefecture were located in this area, both destroyed during the bombardments of September 5, 1870.

The current church was built between 1753 and 1756 on the site of a smaller building. Despite various restorations, this church has retained much of its original state. It is classified as a heritage site.