The Martinikerk (

Martin Martin may refer to: Places * Martin City (disambiguation) * Martin County (disambiguation) * Martin Township (disambiguation) Antarctica * Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land * Port Martin, Adelie Land * Point Martin, South Orkney Islands Austral ...

's church) is the oldest church in

Groningen Groningen (; gos, Grunn or ) is the capital city and main municipality of Groningen province in the Netherlands. The ''capital of the north'', Groningen is the largest place as well as the economic and cultural centre of the northern part of t ...

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

. The church and its associated tower (the

Martinitoren The ''Martinitoren'' (; Martini or St. Martin's Tower) is the tallest church steeple in the city of Groningen, Netherlands, and the bell tower of the Martinikerk. The tower is located at the north-eastern corner of the ''Grote Markt'' (Main Ma ...

) are named after

Saint Martin of Tours Martin of Tours ( la, Sanctus Martinus Turonensis; 316/336 – 8 November 397), also known as Martin the Merciful, was the third bishop of Tours. He has become one of the most familiar and recognizable Christian saints in France, heralded as the ...

(316–397), the patron saint of the

Bishopric of Utrecht The Bishopric of Utrecht ( nl, Sticht Utrecht) was an ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire in the Low Countries, in the present-day Netherlands. From 1024 to 1528, as one of the prince-bishoprics of the Holy Roman Empire, it w ...

to which Groningen belonged. The church was a

cathedral A cathedral is a church that contains the '' cathedra'' () of a bishop, thus serving as the central church of a diocese, conference, or episcopate. Churches with the function of "cathedral" are usually specific to those Christian denomination ...

for a short period during the first bishopric of Groningen (1559–1594). The origins of the Martinikerk are a

cruciform Cruciform is a term for physical manifestations resembling a common cross or Christian cross. The label can be extended to architectural shapes, biology, art, and design. Cruciform architectural plan Christian churches are commonly described ...

church built in the 13th century, which was extended in the 15th and 16th centuries. It contains several 16th-century tombs and

Wessel Gansfort Wessel Harmensz Gansfort (1419 – October 4, 1489) was a theologian and early humanist of the northern Low Countries. Many variations of his last name are seen and he is sometimes incorrectly called Johan Wessel. Gansfort has been called one of ...

's 18th-century tomb. Much of the wall and roof paintwork has been preserved. Of particular note is a 16th-century depiction of the life of

Jesus Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...

. The tower was built from 1469 till 1482, with later additions. Citizens of Groningen often refer to the tower as ''d'Olle Grieze'' (''the Old Grey One''). The original 13th-century tower was destroyed by lightning, and a new tower was built in the 15th century, also destroyed by lightning. Its

organ Organ may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a part of an organism Musical instruments * Organ (music), a family of keyboard musical instruments characterized by sustained tone ** Electronic organ, an electronic keyboard instrument ** Hammond ...

contains stops dating back to 1450, and was rebuilt and enlarged by

Arp Schnitger Arp Schnitger (2 July 164828 July 1719 (buried)) was an influential Northern German organ builder. Considered the most paramount manufacturer of his time, Schnitger built or rebuilt over 150 organs. He was primarily active in Northern Europe, es ...

among others. The Martinikerk Organ in Groningen
/ref> The church and organ are filmed extensively in the documentary ''

Martinikerk Rondeau ''Martinikerk Rondeau'' is a 110-minute documentary film directed by Will Fraser and produced by Fugue State Films for Boeijenga Music Publications, about the historic organs of the Dutch province of Groningen. Centred on the organ of the Marti ...

''.

Gallery

File:Martinitoren groningen.jpg, The Martinikerk and its tower File:Martinikerk Groningen.jpg, Martinikerk Groningen File:Koorgewelf Martinikerk.JPG, Choir vaulting Martinikerk File:Gewelfschildering Martinikerk Groningen.jpg, Vaulting painting Martinikerk File:Orgel Martinikerk Groningen.jpg, Organ Martinikerk File:Martinikerk Groningen orgel.JPG, Organ Martinikerk File:Groningen noordoostelijk-deel ca 1575.jpg, Martinikerk
''City Atlas'' by Georg Braun and Frans Hogenberg 1575 File:Martinikerk en Walburgkerk Groningen.png, Martinikerk
1594 File:Groningenkeuring.jpg, ''The Horse Inspection'' (Martinikerk in the background)
by

Otto Eerelman Otto Eerelman (23 March 1839, Groningen - 3 October 1926, Groningen) was a Dutch painter; best known for his depictions of dogs and horses. He was also a court painter and did several portraits of Wilhelmina, as Princess and Queen. Biography ...

1920 File:Groningen Grote Markt 1945.jpg, Martinikerk
1945 File:Martini bij nacht.jpg, Martinikerk tower by night

Photo gallery entrances.

Groningen (stad), Martinikerk in Groningen 13-06-2022. (actm.).jpg, Side entrance with memorial plaque. Groningen (stad), Martinikerk in Groningen 13-06-2022. (actm.) 02.jpg, Side entrance in a masonry arch. Groningen (stad), Martinikerk in Groningen 13-06-2022. (actm.) 03.jpg, Entrance to the Martinikerk secretariat.

References

External links

*
Martinikerk
official website {{Authority control Religious buildings and structures completed in 1482 Buildings and structures completed in 1482 Towers completed in the 15th century Buildings and structures in Groningen (city) Churches in Groningen (province) Rijksmonuments in Groningen (province) Gothic architecture in the Netherlands 13th-century churches in the Netherlands