Former Saint-Martin temple

You’ve reached the André Bruey Square, named after the former mayor of Orange. Standing here, it’s hard to imagine the horrors that unfolded at this very spot centuries ago. Let’s rewind to 1566. It’s been 5 years since William 1st of Orange authorized the practice of reformed worship. The Protestants obtained permission to build a temple, which was inaugurated the following year. But tragedy struck on February 2nd, 1571, the very day of the Feast of the Purification. The sanctuary became the scene of a horrific massacre. For eleven brutal days, violence raged, brutally claiming the lives of over 140 innocent civilians. This tragic event later became known as “Notre-Dame la Massacreuse”, that is, “Our Lady of the Massacre” – a grim reminder of the religious holiday it marred. Just 2 years later, the Prince of Orange publicly converted to Protestantism, and the city became a stronghold of the Reformed religion. If the temple has disappeared today, it’s because the Wars of Religion continued to cast a long shadow, even after the Edict of Nantes in 1598 promised religious freedom under King Henry IV. You may not know this, but Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes in 1598 and launched the famous dragonnades. These were campaigns led by his soldiers, known as dragoons, to persecute Protestant communities in the kingdom of France and convert them to Catholicism. It was during this period that the temple was demolished and a fountain, now no longer in existence, was built on its site. While these conflicts may seem a world away today, they cost countless lives on both sides and forever altered the course of European history. Continue down Rue Tourgaryanne, for this story is far from over!