Eglise Sainte-Marthe
ChurchHidden Treasure
Eglise Sainte-Marthe, located in Tarascon (Bouches-du-Rhône), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- Church
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Tarascon, Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 43.8056, 4.6558
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00081475
In the heart of Tarascon, the collegiate church of Sainte-Marthe houses the legendary crypt of the saint who is said to have tamed the Tarasque, the age-old guardian of a Provencal myth that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
History
Standing in the heart of Tarascon, just a stone's throw from King René's mighty castle overlooking the Rhône, the collegiate church of Sainte-Marthe is much more than a church: it's a living sanctuary, the hub of a legend that has spanned the centuries and continues to inspire the Provençal imagination. Listed as a historic monument since 1840 - one of the very first protected buildings in France - it bears witness to uninterrupted devotion since the High Middle Ages. What makes Sainte-Marthe truly unique is the coexistence, under the same roof, of two distinct architectural periods: a slender, light and airy Gothic nave, surmounted by a strikingly sober Romanesque crypt, where the Provençal limestone still seems to retain the freshness of the Carolingian era. It is in this crypt, immersed in a golden semi-darkness, that, according to tradition, lies the remains of Saint Martha herself - sister of Mary Magdalene and Lazarus, who, it is said, came to evangelise Gaul after the death of Christ. Visitors passing through the sculpted portal on the southern façade enter a space where art and faith interact with a rare coherence. The side chapels are home to paintings by the Provencal and Italian schools from the 16th to 18th centuries, while the choir boasts exquisitely carved wooden choir stalls. The late afternoon light, filtered through the stained glass windows, casts a typically southern ochre and amber glow over the whole. Tarascon itself is an ideal setting: a town of character on the left bank of the Rhône, opposite Beaucaire, it can be explored on foot between medieval streets, Renaissance facades and lively markets. Sainte-Marthe is the spiritual soul of the town, inseparable from the Tarasque festival - a medieval procession recognised by UNESCO as part of humanity's intangible cultural heritage.
Architecture
Sainte-Marthe church has a dual-register architecture, revealing its long and complex history. The lower part - the crypt - is 11th-12th century Provençal Romanesque, with pointed barrel vaults resting on robustly curved monolithic columns, capitals soberly decorated with plant or geometric motifs, and carefully carved light-coloured limestone. The atmosphere is quiet, almost hypnotic, with particularly striking acoustics that amplify the slightest murmur. The upper nave, rebuilt and enlarged between the 13th and 15th centuries, adopts the vocabulary of the Southern Gothic style: a relatively wide, squat nave compared with the Northern Gothic style, high windows allowing plenty of light to enter, and side chapels opening onto the nave via pointed arches. The main façade, on the south side, features a sculpted portal with voussoirs filled with leafy motifs and holy figures, evidence of Provençal sculpture influenced by Italian workshops. The simple, square bell tower is in the tradition of the Romanesque bell towers of Provence. Inside, the church's furnishings deserve particular attention: carved wooden choir stalls, painted altarpieces from the Italian school, and above all the reliquary shrine of Saint Martha, an object of intense popular devotion. The blond limestone, characteristic of the Bouches-du-Rhône region, gives the whole a luminous warmth that is accentuated in the golden hours of the day.
Related Figures
Sainte Marthe — sœur de Lazare et Marie-Madeleine, évangélisatrice légendaire de la Provence et patronne de Tarascon, dont les reliques sont conservées dans la crypteRené d'Anjou (le roi René) — comte de Provence (1409-1480), mécène de la collégiale et institutionnalisateur de la fête de la TarasqueLouis IX (Saint Louis) — roi de France qui, de passage à Tarascon, aurait vénéré les reliques de la sainte au XIIIe siècleProsper Mérimée — inspecteur des Monuments historiques qui contribua à l'inscription de Sainte-Marthe sur la première liste de classement en 1840Charles Ier d'Anjou — comte de Provence au XIIIe siècle, dont le patronage favorisa la reconstruction gothique de l'édifice
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Eglise Sainte-Marthe located?
Eglise Sainte-Marthe is located in Tarascon, Bouches-du-Rhône department, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, France.
When was Eglise Sainte-Marthe built?
Eglise Sainte-Marthe dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Eglise Sainte-Marthe open to visitors?
Eglise Sainte-Marthe is currently closed to visitors.