- 11 Rue Bourgelat, 69002 Lyon
- What you see
- What you need to know
Welcome to the Basilica of Saint-Martin d'Ainay, a historical treasure nestled in the heart of Lyon. I will be your guide on this fascinating tour of this iconic place steeped in history and spirituality.
The story
Let's begin with a journey back in time to discover the history of this basilica, which dates back to the 11th century. Long ago, the turbulent waters of the confluence of the Rhône and Saône rivers flowed right next to the majestic Basilica of Saint-Martin d'Ainay. Founded by Abbot Gaucerand in the mid-10th century, the basilica is dedicated to Saint Martin, Bishop of Tours. Its remarkable Romanesque architecture makes it one of the jewels of Romanesque art in France.
January 29, 1107 marks a crucial event: the consecration of the abbey church dedicated to Saint Martin by Pope Paschal II.
In the 16th century, the monastery reached its peak during the Renaissance, with the existence of a port, a palace for the abbot and ancillary buildings including a cloister, a garden and a vineyard.
However, the religious wars of the 16th century marked a dark period. In 1562, the troops of the Baron des Adrets destroyed part of the buildings, including the cloister, and severely damaged the church.
In the 18th century, major changes occurred. In 1780, the church lost its status as an abbey church and became a parish church. With the French Revolution, the monastery was confiscated, and the church was used as a granary, thus preventing its destruction.
The basilica experienced a revival in the 19th century. In 1802, it reopened to worshippers. In 1844, it was listed as a historical monument, marking the beginning of restoration work. Architects Pollet and Benoît led these efforts, restoring the church in a Neo-Romanesque style and giving it its current form.
Finally, in 1905, the basilica was elevated to the rank of minor basilica by Pope Saint Pius X, thus recognizing its religious and historical importance.
Architecture and Artistic Treasures
The tower on the front is a 31-metre-high bell tower-porch. Its base, dating from the 11th century, is built with stones from ancient monuments.
From the outside, be sure to admire the bas-relief located on the forecourt, to the left of the door. At the rear, two distinct apses can be seen: that of the Sainte-Blandine chapel, square in shape and dating back to the early Middle Ages, and that of Saint-Martin, circular in shape and built in the 12th century.
As you enter the basilica, marvel at its magnificent barrel vaults and majestic columns. Observe the four monolithic columns that support the dome in front of the choir. Notice the episodes from the Bible sculpted on the capitals, such as original sin here.
Explore the basilica's artistic and religious treasures. Admire the magnificent stained-glass windows that illuminate the interior, depicting biblical stories and Christian legends. Contemplate the paintings, such as those in the central apse by Hippolyte Flandrin. Marvel at the sculptures that adorn the side chapels, a testament to the basilica's artistic richness throughout the centuries. Look up to see the chandelier in the dome, dating from the 19th century. Admire the grand organ with three manuals and 36 stops, built by Joseph Merklin, installed in the nave in 1890, to the north of the dome.
The Ainay vault
Walk along the Place d'Ainay towards the Saône. In the middle of the street called "Voûte d'Ainay" which is an extension of the Place d'Ainay, an arch built in the 18th century spans the road; it is surmounted by a house built by Paul Perrache: on this site was an access gate to the abbey.
- Archive images
Church of Ainay, rebuilt in the 10th century by Archbishop Amblard, completed in 1070.
History of the churches and chapels of Lyon, 1908, volume II.
Sack of Lyon by the iconoclasts in 1562, school of Antoine Caron, 16th century.
Philip I, King of the Franks, and Pope Paschal II. Illumination from the Great Chronicles of France, 14th century. Paris, BnF, Department of Manuscripts, French 2813, folio 187 recto.
Memorial plaque of the Basilica.
Saint-Martin d'Ainay, painting by Jean-Michel Grobon (1803).
Black and white print of the Basilica of Saint-Martin d'Ainay.
The four monolithic columns that support the dome in front of the choir. According to Lyon tradition, they come from the columns of the altar of Rome and Augustus which was part of the Federal Sanctuary of the Three Gauls, on the slopes of Croix-Rousse.
Facing west, the plan shows the city of Lyon in the 16th century: it is the first precise representation of Lyon, called a scenographic plan because it shows the city of Lyon (around 1550, reference: 2SAT 3, credit Gilles Bernasconi).
The St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre.
Bas-relief located on the forecourt, to the left of the door (reproduction of the original located inside the basilica).
A plan of Ainay Abbey created by Rogatien Lenail in 1908 for the book "History of the churches and chapels of Lyon".
Bedside tables: Saint-Blandine in the center and Saint-Martin to the right.
Capital, detail, original sin.
View of the central apse (Hippolyte Flandrin) during the Festival of Lights (2022). Crown of Lights (1860).
The candlestick in the dome dates from the 19th century. It is a tribute to the candlestick of Barbarossa commissioned and offered as an offering to Mary by Frederick Barbarossa in the 11th century, and installed in the cathedral of Aachen.
Grand Organ, located to the north of the dome.
Ainay vault, photo taken from rue Vaubecour.
- Your comments
