Église Saint-Martin was a former collegiate church in Gothic style located in Marseille. Its foundation date is not known with certainty, although it is mentioned in the cartulaire of Saint-Victor in the mid-11th century, and two acts delimiting the parishes of Accoules and Saint-Martin are dated 1064 and 1163. The church was located inside the medieval ramparts from 1190 and 1250, and was described as small before being enlarged at the beginning of the 18th century through the donations of Barthélemy Reynaud, whose polychrome stone statue formerly stood inside the church and is now displayed at the Marseille history museum. In 1536, Pope Paul III erected the parish into a collegiate church at the request of Philippe Rigaudi, with six canons under a provost and two vicars assigned to the parishioners. A massive square bell tower was begun in 1596 and completed in 1620. The church was demolished in 1887 for the construction of rue Colbert. It should not be confused with Saint-Martin church of Arenc, built in 1913 on rue Mirés in Marseille.

History and Demolition

Saint-Martin church in Marseille was a former collegiate church in the Gothic style. It was located in Marseille and was demolished in 1887 to make way for the construction of rue Colbert. The building should not be confused with Saint-Martin church of Arenc, which was built in 1913 on rue Mires in Marseille.

History and Development of Saint-Martin

The foundation date of Saint-Martin church is not known with certainty, but it is mentioned in the cartulaire of Saint-Victor in the mid- period. Two acts dated 1064 and 1163 delimit the parishes of Accoules and Saint-Martin, showing its early role in the local parish network. The church was located inside the medieval ramparts from 1190 and 1250. It is described as small, and it was enlarged at the beginning of the by donations from Barthelemy Reynaud, who also gave the polychrome stone statue once kept inside the church; this statue is now displayed at the Marseille history museum.

A major institutional change took place in 1536, when Pope Paul III erected the parish of Saint-Martin into a collegiate church at the request of Philippe Rigaudi. The collegiate chapter had six canons under a provost, and the pope also ordained two vicars to provide care for the parishioners. The church's later fabric included a massive square bell tower, whose construction began in 1596 and was completed in 1620.

During the Revolution, the cur of Saint-Martin was abb Merentier, an oath-taking priest, and abb Cavalier is also named as another oath-taking priest. Abb Merentier escaped searches during the Reign of Terror in 1794, while abb Cavalier was guillotined at the foot of the Canebiere in the same year. Before demolition, the church measured long, wide, and high, occupied about , and could accommodate people.

The 1592 Murder Case at Saint Martin

In 1592, Saint Martin church in Marseille became the center of a major criminal case involving its clergy. Jacques d'Ollieres was the provost of the church at the time, with six canons under his authority: Pierre Massicy, Giraud Bontemps, Francois Reynaud, Michel Giraudy, Henri de Brancolis, and Michel Abram. The church also had one vicar, Pierre Boyer.

The case began when Michel Abram was reported missing by his landlady, Madame Louise d'Alby, wife of Francois Armand seigneur de la Garciniere. His body was later discovered in a tomb in the chapel dedicated to Saint Roch inside Saint Martin church. After this discovery, Charles de Casaulx, first consul of Marseille, ordered the immediate arrest of the canons of Saint Martin church.

The investigation was led by Mr. Balthazar Granier, lieutenant of the seneschal, with assistance from Louis Vento, lieutenant assessor. Henri de Brancolis became the main suspect after he sought the priory of Cogolin, which belonged to Michel Abram, before the body was found. He was later arrested at Forcalqueiret castle while attempting to obtain the priory from the provost of Pignans. The inquiry concluded that Michel Abram had been murdered by Henri de Brancolis with the help of vicar Pierre Boyer.

Both men were condemned to death. Before execution, Henri de Brancolis had to be degraded from ecclesiastical function, but Bishop Frederic Ragueneau refused to come to Marseille, and the bishops of Sisteron and Arles also declined. Only the bishop of Cavaillon accepted to perform the degradation. Henri de Brancolis was then subjected to rack torture, hand amputation, and burning alive on the forecourt of Saint Martin church, while Pierre Boyer was hanged.

Demolition and Urban Transformation

The history of Eglise Saint-Martin in Marseille is closely linked to the citys mid-19th century street works. During Napoleon IIIs visit to Marseille, Mayor Louis-Philippe Lagarde secured the emperors support for a project to open a street connecting the Vieux-Port to the new port of la Joliette. The works, carried out from 1862 to 1864, led first to the creation of Rue Imperiale, later renamed Rue de la Republique. Marseille then extended the renovation by connecting place Sadi Carnot to the junction of cours Belsunce and rue dAix, creating rue Colbert. This broader project required the demolition of a church located on the route, and the works lasted four years.

Eglise Saint-Martin was demolished in 1887. Before its destruction, the municipality commissioned photographer Adolphe Terris to document the church and the works associated with the street opening. Views of rue Colbert were likely taken by Terriss associate Rogliano. The city initially refused to acquire the album, but it was bought twenty years later from Lucien Terris for a modest price. These photographs remain tied to the record of the churches disappearance and to the urban reshaping of central Marseille.