The Somme tourist board

This historical city suffered a lot from the world war 1 battles. Montdidier keeps some evidences of its past as the churches Saint-Pierre and Saint-Sépulcre dated from 15th and 16th centuries. Both they were damaged during the world war 1 and were restored after 1918.

© www.montgolfiere.com

With Flamish origin, it dates from the 1920s and its Art Déco frescoes shows the reconstruction architecture.

A belfry high of 45 meters is on the top. Frescoes which decorate the walls are from Maurice Picaud dit "Pico". The frescoes retrace the fabulous history of the city. Many buildings show on their face the evidences of the artistic revival of Art Déco period.

The first church dates from 1146, was destroyed and rebuilt in the 15th century. A third church was consecrated in 1519.
Destroyed again the 10 August 1918 when allies took back the city to German. In 1920, it became ancient monument. It was rebuilt as the same in a flamboyant gothic style from 1930 till 1935. It's open for mass in 1960.
Observe the south-west face with its 12 scenes of Christ's Passion and the stained-glass window of the rose where you can see the zodiacal signs.
Inside, you can admire a lot of works : sculptures, statues...
Don't miss the tapestries of Bruxelles from 17th century...
In the nave, these 6 great tapestries come from the castle of Ferrières but it were created for the city of Douai. It represent some episodes of the Book of Exodus.

In 1946, the church Saint Pierre is mentioned in a charter of Thierri, bishop of Amiens, but its origin would go back to a very previous time. The actual church dates back to the end of the XIVth century but, because of the wars and of the ruin of Montdidier in the XVth century, its construction will last 200 years. The gate conceived by Chappion, master builder of the cathedral of Beauvais, is remarkable. Remaining from the first church, the baptismal fonts (XIth century), of style romano-Byzantine, black marble of Tournai, are particularly beautiful and curious. The relics of the saints Lugle and Luglien, the masters of the city, are kept in a copper plated with silver dating 1839. To be seen absolutely, in the choir, the magnificent Romanic Christ of the XIIth century.

Antoine Augustin Parmentier is born on August 12th, 1737 in a house located rue de la Mercerie (now rue Parmentier) where his parents had a shop.

After pharmacy studies in Montdidier and Paris, he enlisted as a dispensing chemist during the seven years war. Prussians captured him and he only ate some porridge of potatoes. Later, he studied this tuber and he was the propagator of the potatoe really useful to fight the food shortages.
Don't miss his statue in bronze made by Albert Roze.

The tourist office organizes walks and guided tours.

Market

Thursday morning (place Charles de Gaulle)