Catholic branch church of St. Martin, Obersaxen

History of St. Martin

As the documents from 1406 and 1441 refer to the parish church, we do not have any medieval documents about St. Martin's. It is not possible to say whether only the choir was rebuilt around 1500 or whether the whole church dates back to this time; however, it is possible that the main parts of the nave are older. New tower in 1768, extension of the nave to the west in 1874 with the removal of a wooden porch formerly located there, new ceiling and windows. Last complete renovation in 1928/30.

Description of the building

The east-facing, recessed choir, closed on three sides, is shifted 75 cm to the south from the axis of the nave. Above the choir is a star vault of two bays decorated with shields, grimaces and star rosettes. The figuration is accurately drawn and the stone carving is precise. In the south chancel wall is a square niche set in tuff with an ogee arch finial for the altar instruments.The tower was erected in 1768, stands on the end wall of the choir and is crowned with an onion-shaped dome.

Furnishings

Three wooden altars. High altar, four curved columns support a curved entablature on which putti sit, around 1740. Tabernacle around 1760. Side altars are designed as simple pendants. The pulpit grows as a polygonal corpus from a bulging base and is decorated with rococo ornamentation, around 1770. Crucifixes on the chancel arch 17th century, newly painted.Paraments: Casula made of red velvet, late 17th century. A red chalice velum made of silver brocaded velvet.Bells: 1913 and 1914 Grassmayr Bros. from Buchs.

(Text recorded by: Regiun Surselva)