On the Tour you can see two churches named after Saint Martin of tours. However, one of them, whose history began in the V century with a small chapel over the tomb of the Saint, but today only two towers and ruins, located on private property. The second temple – the current Basilica, its construction was started in the second half of the XIX century near the location of the former Church.

St. Martin died in 397 year in the village of the Candidate during the prayer, was buried in the city cemetery Tour, and the body of the Saint was secretly removed from Kanda by his admirers. 40 years later the grave was built a small chapel, which even after four decades was replaced by a Basilica. Until the end of the eighteenth century this temple was damaged by fire, has suffered damage during the Huguenot wars, several times restored and rebuilt and even "overgrown" living quarter châteauneuf.

The greatest Basilica of the damage inflicted by the revolutionaries during the French revolution the Church was first adapted for the horses, and then completely demolished. To prevent possible recovery, the destroyers built on the spot where he stood, two new streets. There left only two towers – Charles the Great (Charlemagne), under which are buried his wife, Hildegard, and Hour. The studies of the remnants of the temple and its ancient plans scientists have found that the first Martin of tours Basilica had a lot in common with the appearance of the Church of St. James in Santiago de Compostela.

The construction of the new Basilica began only in the late nineteenth century after it was discovered the burial of the Saint and cleared space on it. In the new Church the tomb of Martin of tours was under the altar. The author of the project was the architect Victor laloux. Work on construction of the new Basilica was completed in 1902.