The most beautiful religious buildings Martinique

At the bend in the road to Balata, in the heart of a tropical environment, stands this building, which is a replica of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre on a scale of 1/5, the work of the English architect Charles Albert Wulfleff (1929). At the base of the dome is the following inscription: “Au Sacré-Coeur, la Martinique reconnaissante (To the Sacré-Coeur, Martinique is Grateful)”. In addition to its remarkable stained-glass windows and mosaics, the site offers a splendid view of Fort-de-France and its bay.

It is one of the most beautiful and oldest in Martinique. Built at the end of the 18^th century, with its bell tower standing in the center of the village, the structure dedicated to Saint Étienne, patron saint of the town, follows the Jesuit aesthetic codes and shows two orders of superimposed Tuscan columns. The vault in the shape of an inverted ship's hull reminds us that the building was built by sailor carpenters. The remarkable high altar would have been originally intended for the cathedral of Lima, Peru. The shipwreck of the vessel carrying it stopped its journey in Le Marin.

This beautiful baroque building, inaugurated in 1829 and classified as a historical monument, is particularly striking because of its location: immaculately white, the church faces the sea and Le Diamant with its breaking waves that slap against the beach. The church has been renovated many times and destroyed by natural disasters, but it has a splendid frame, rebuilt in 1983 by the Compagnons de France, in the manner of an overturned ship's hull. Made in France, it was dismantled and reassembled on the church in 1983.

It is one of the jewels of Fort-de-France. Several times destroyed (notably by the terrible fire of 1890), the old straw and pitchfork chapel was replaced in 1891 by the current cathedral. Its framework is entirely metallic in order to resist earthquakes, but also in reference to the techniques used in France by Gustave Eiffel. It houses the tombs of several governors of the island, whose exact location is kept scrupulously secret. It was classified as a historical monument in 1989.

Also called Notre-Dame-du-Bon-Port, the cathedral of Saint-Pierre, listed as a historical monument, with its two steeples, dominates the harbor. Built in the 18^th century and remodeled in the middle of the 19^th century, it did not survive the eruption of 1902 and was destroyed. Thanks to the financial support of Victor Depaz, the façade was rebuilt. The stained-glass windows made by the Martinican artist Victor Anicet date from 2006. Renovation work is currently underway.

It gives unity to the village, and extends its steeple beyond its forecourt, to a charming pontoon plunging into the water. Every year, on September 19, 5,000 pilgrims come to La Salette to make the pilgrimage. On February 13, 1870, a cross was raised to the top of the hill behind the church. On Good Friday of the same year, a Christ was placed there. It was then that the idea of a calvary was born. The chapel has been damaged by cyclones and fires. It was restored in 1994 by the municipality.

A visit to the tiny center of Morne-Vert would not be complete without admiring the carved marble tabernacle of the late ^19th-century Saint-Martin church and its breathtaking view of tropical "Little Switzerland". Note the plaque paying tribute to the abbot whose generous donations made it possible to commission the altar (without whom the church would not be completely finished!). On the left, the view of the surrounding area is superb. Take a look inside the presbytery. An unpretentious but charming church.

Initially a simple little wooden church, built in 1640 on a stone base in the early days of colonization, it was rebuilt by Father Farganel in 1678, with a beautiful ship's hull frame and a bell tower separated from the central body, on a small paved square. After losing its roof during the cyclone of 1891, it was destroyed by the eruption of 1902. It was then filled with worshipers. Today, only the remains of the church of the Fort remain, but the place is strikingly emotional.

Among the most interesting on the island, the church of La Trinité embodies the religious foundation of the colonists. Built between 1708 and 1710, it differs from the traditional rectangular plan: it is indeed built on a classical rectangular plan and the high altar is flanked by two side altars. An original detail, the bell tower, is topped by a minaret. Several times renovated, natural disasters have not spared it! On the left side of the church, we can see a porch that gives access to the cemetery. Nice view on the village.

It is from a chapel built in the 17^th century around a cross, on a plot of land that served as a cemetery for the slaves of the surrounding dwellings, that this parish church was erected in 1848. It miraculously resisted cyclones and the eruption of Mount Pelee. Of baroque inspiration, its forms are harmonious. The two transepts were added in 1925, and the bell tower in 1962 to replace a previous one dating from 1880.

This church is one of the most beautiful gems of religious architecture in Martinique. Built in 1667 but rebuilt in 1774 and again in 1813, it welcomed Father Labat, a young Dominican missionary, when he arrived in Martinique. Its wooden frame is the result of the skills of the sailor-carpenters employed in the construction of religious buildings. A lovely little cemetery looks out to sea just behind the church. Its roof is particularly low and close to the ground, which may be surprising, to better resist hurricanes.

This Dominican church, classified as a historical monument, is one of the oldest on the island. Dating from 1640, it was rebuilt in 1762 after a fire during a battle between armed forces. To the left of the entrance door, a mosaic was made from ceramic shards found in Saint-Pierre after the eruption of Mount Pelee. Note the carved wooden scallop shell on the façade and the barrel vault decorated with scrolls and arabesques.

Built of wood and brown stone, Bellefontaine church dates back to 1962. Its bells are listed. A building with an original architecture (its bell tower is in fact separate from the main body), its construction is the fruit of the joint efforts of the people of Bellefontaine. Seeing that the old church was no longer able to accommodate the faithful, the population raised funds to build a new one. Saint-Pierre-aux-Liens retains six wrought-iron statues by Joseph René-Corail.

This recent church is the heir to a succession of earlier buildings. The plans for an avant-garde church, imagined by Federico Genovese and Olivier Dubosq, after waiting for some 40 years, have finally been realized. The congregation can once again hear the five bells engraved with the names of their patrons (Saints Joseph, Michael the Archangel, Lawrence, Philomena and Our Lady the Great)—they were blessed on Christmas Day 2009. The materials used for its construction and the façade are similar to those of the building destroyed in 1973.

At the top of the Morne d'Orange, the Virgin of the Sailors, also called

Notre-Dame du Bon Port, has watched over the city since 1870. Its base was destroyed by the fiery cloud of May 8, 1902; the 4-tonne statue was thrown several meters lower but, miraculously, came out of the eruption unscathed! To see it, you have to take the road that crosses the D1 (direction Fonds-Saint-Denis). At the top, turn to the right. Park your car and finish the few remaining meters on foot. From there, the view on the bay of Saint-Pierre is breathtaking.

One of the most beautiful churches on the island. Flanked by its cemetery, it shines in its bright yellow dress. It is dedicated to saint James in memory of Jacques du Parquet, the first governor of the colony. The mixture of baroque and neoclassical styles of the 18^th century, with a sober, but charming interior, is rather interesting. Inside, the choir is decorated with effigies of St. James the Greater. Go around and see the presbytery.

Founded in 1758, the Baroque-inspired church dominates the village of Saint-Esprit, making it its first historic monument. Its handsome volumes were altered several times following the hurricanes of 1951 and 1962. It houses a Russian bell known as Sebastopol, brought back from the Crimean War, in which a contingent of Martiniquais took part. To thank Martinique, Admiral Bruat, the island's former governor, brought back bells. Since then, the parish has been animated by numerous Sunday masses and choirs.

From 1848 until 1885, Basse-Pointe welcomed tens of thousands of Tamil workers from Pondicherry in India. These “coolies”, as they are called here, kept their traditions and built temples, including two particularly important ones in Basse-Pointe. The first is located after the Pocquet River, facing the pond; the second is near the Gradis Habitation. They can be visited on Sundays and during the “Bon dit coolie” ceremony.