Ancienne abbaye de Daoulas
AbbeyHidden Treasure
Ancienne abbaye de Daoulas, located in Daoulas (Département 29), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- Abbey
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Daoulas, Département 29, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.3624, -4.2650
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00089906
In the heart of Finistère, Daoulas Abbey boasts a strikingly pure 12th-century Romanesque nave and a Gothic porch adorned with medieval statues, an exceptional example of Breton architecture from the Léonarde region.
History
Nestling in the lush green valley of the River Daoulas, some twenty kilometres from Brest, the former Augustinian abbey of Daoulas is one of the best-preserved monastic complexes in Brittany. Its church, now a parish church, has preserved a Romanesque nave of remarkable formal coherence, almost intact evidence of the building work carried out between 1164 and 1173. Few Breton buildings offer such a clear interpretation of Romanesque architecture in its original sobriety. What makes Daoulas truly unique is the coexistence of architectural temporalities that history has superimposed, erased and then partly restored. The Gothic porch, moved in the 19th century during a highly controversial "restoration" campaign, now stands at the entrance to the cemetery as an autonomous structure, almost anachronistic in its new surroundings. It is nevertheless a masterpiece of Leonardo and Cornish art: its sculpted niches still house the original statues, a rare luxury that most of its Breton contemporaries were not fortunate enough to preserve. Visitors who cross the abbey walls enter a world suspended between the sacred and the plant world. The cloisters and gardens - enhanced by a collection of medieval and exotic plants refurbished by the Department of Finistère - extend the architectural experience with an unexpected sensory immersion. The abbey regularly hosts cultural exhibitions of international renown, combining contemporary art and heritage. The natural setting enhances the charm of the place: the deep valley, the discreet murmur of the river, the mossy stones of the claustral arcades create a meditative atmosphere conducive to contemplation. Photographers and heritage lovers will find the soft light here particularly magical in the morning or at dusk on a summer's day.
Architecture
The abbey church at Daoulas is an exemplary example of Breton Romanesque art at its most refined. The nave, built between 1164 and 1173, has a two-storey elevation punctuated by semi-circular arches resting on pillars with capitals soberly sculpted with plant and geometric motifs, typical of late Armorican Romanesque. The thick, austere walls of local granite give the interior an atmosphere of serene gravity. The west facade, restored to its Romanesque state by Bigot in the late 19th century, features a portal with ornate arches in the tradition of workshops in medieval Finistère. The 16th-century Gothic porch, now isolated at the entrance to the cemetery, is a masterpiece of Leonardo architecture. Its gable-front structure, pierced by a pointed arch with moulded archivolts, is flanked by niches with flamboyant canopies housing a sculpted programme of remarkable quality. The surviving statues of apostles and saints, carved from Kersanton granite - the characteristic black stone of the Élorn sculptors' workshops - bear witness to Breton craftsmanship at the peak of its art. The partially preserved Romanesque cloister, with its semi-circular arches on colonnettes, completes a cloister complex of great stylistic homogeneity.
Related Figures
Les chanoines augustins — communauté fondatrice du XIIe siècle, bâtisseurs de l'église romane entre 1164 et 1173Bigot — architecte diocésain du Finistère, auteur de la controverse restauration néo-romane des années 1880Les seigneurs du Léon — mécènes présumés de la construction du porche gothique au XVIe siècleLes sculpteurs de Kersanton — maîtres artisans bretons auteurs des statues du porche gothiqueSaint Guénolé — saint breton tutélaire associé aux premières fondations chrétiennes dans la vallée de Daoulas
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Ancienne abbaye de Daoulas located?
Ancienne abbaye de Daoulas is located in Daoulas, Département 29 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Ancienne abbaye de Daoulas built?
Ancienne abbaye de Daoulas dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Ancienne abbaye de Daoulas open to visitors?
Ancienne abbaye de Daoulas is currently closed to visitors.
