Martinskirche (St. Martin's Church), Basel

Martinskirche (St. Martin's Church), Basel

Martinskirche is an Evangelical Reformed church in Basel, towering over the old town of Grossbasel. It stands on the northern end of the Munster hill and is considered the oldest parish church in the city, having appeared in a written document for the first time in 1101-1103.

The lower parts of the tower floor and the core of the west façade date back to 1287. The main features of the choir polygon and the north and south facades are from the late 14th century. After the earthquake in 1356, the church was completely reconstructed.

It was here that Johannes Oekolampad, the reformer of Basel, preached for the first time in 1529 "in the Reformed manner" and thus also in German.

The church was substantially renewed and rebuilt in 1851. The facades were considerably redesigned and a first concert stage was built in the interior instead of the rood screen. Even then, the Martinskirche served as a concert church and for various state events. The choir was built with a cellar in 1892 for air heating. Since 1922, Saint Martin has been depicted in a mural by Hans Rohner above the south portal. The interior of the church is decorated with numerous epitaphs.

A bell in the Martinskirche traditionally rings in the Basel Autumn Fair on the opening Saturday.
Sight description based on Wikipedia.

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Martinskirche (St. Martin's Church) on Map

Sight Name: Martinskirche (St. Martin's Church)
Sight Location: Basel, Switzerland (See walking tours in Basel)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Basel, Switzerland

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