Eglise Saint Martin de Glaire

The Saint-Martin church in Glaire, rebuilt according to the plans of the architect Jean-Baptiste Couty between 1888 and 1889, bears witness to an architecture that is both functional and aesthetic. The first stone was laid on September 16, 1888, and the church was blessed by the Archbishop of Reims, Mgr Langenieux, on August 27, 1889. It succeeds an older church, whose cross was integrated into the new bell tower. This reconstruction project was initiated by Abbot Toussaint, who also played a similar role in Iges.
The church, oriented towards the northeast, has an elongated plan. The nave with three naves and four bays is preceded by a western massif with a central bell tower, flanked by a spiral staircase to the north and a font chapel to the south. A non-projecting transept leads to a rectangular choir with a flat chevet, against which a sacristy is leaning. Next to the choir, a parish hall completes the ensemble. The building is made of limestone rubble with stone chains, except for the bell tower which is entirely built of stone. The interior is decorated with monumental paintings, with geometric motifs or imitating architecture.
The floors of the nave, transept and choir are covered with mosaics, while under the benches are limestone slabs. The nave is composed of two levels: semicircular arcades supported by columned pillars, and an upper level pierced by polylobed oculi. The side aisles are lit by large semicircular bays and the chevet by a polylobed rose window. The interior is covered with domes. The bell tower houses a vestibule, an organ gallery and a bell chamber. The roofs are made of slate, with different types of coverings depending on the parts of the building, including a conical roof in cut stone on the staircase turret.