St. Martin Tower

The St. Martin Tower, locally known as Tour Saint Martin, is situated on a hill above the town of Comblain-au-Pont, in the province of Liège in the Wallonia region in Belgium.

The first building on this site was a church built in the 11th or 12th century. In the early 13th century, during a period of armed conflict in the region, this church was demolished, and a castle was built here. The castle, made from local sandstone rubble, featured a square keep protected by rectangular ramparts.

By the end of the 13th century, or perhaps a little later, once peace had returned to the area, the castle was torn down and rebuilt as a church. The castle's keep was preserved and repurposed as the church tower.

In 1852, the church was taken out of use because villagers found access too difficult for the sick and elderly. It was then demolished, except for the keep. A local priest, Bodson, restored the keep to its current form and also rebuilt the ramparts following the original layout. The area inside the walls and around the keep became a graveyard.

Today, the graveyard is freely accessible during the day. When I visited, the St. Martin Tower was closed, and I am unsure if it's ever open to the public. The site has a lot of atmosphere, thanks to the beautiful old graveyard, and offers a nice view over the village below. You can also find the  Montuy Tower in the village.

Gallery