Caisse d'Epargne
MonumentHidden Treasure
Caisse d'Epargne, located in Saint-Brieuc (Département 22), is a modern edifice built in the 19th-20th centuries. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Modern (19th-20th century)
- Location
- Saint-Brieuc, Département 22, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.5128, -2.7629
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00135256
Joyau éclectique du début du XXe siècle, la Caisse d'Épargne de Saint-Brieuc dévoile une façade somptueuse où granit poli, céramique et bronze s'allient autour d'une majestueuse baie palladienne.
History
In the heart of Saint-Brieuc, the capital of Côtes-d'Armor, the Caisse d'Épargne stands out as one of the most elegant examples of Breton civil architecture at the turn of the 20th century. Completed in 1909 under the direction of architect Georges-Robert Lefort, it embodies with perfect consistency the aesthetic ambitions of a financial institution eager to display its solidity and prestige to all passers-by. What really sets this building apart from others of its era is the richness and diversity of the materials used for its façade. Polished Breton granite, meticulously carved stone, warmly tinted ceramics and bronze ornaments combine to create a harmonious whole that reflects local craftsmanship while maintaining a resolutely academic architectural language. The Palladian bay, a motif borrowed from the great Italian tradition and brought up to date by the École des Beaux-Arts, lends the façade a timeless nobility. A visit to the Caisse d'Épargne de Saint-Brieuc is above all a lesson in street architecture. You'll love the detail of the sculptures that enliven the window frames, the interplay of materials between the roughness of the granite and the brilliance of the ceramic ornaments, and the ridge that crowns the roof, whose interlacing metalwork is a particularly original decorative signature for a building of this nature. Listed as a Monument Historique since 1995, certain elements of this building are officially protected, guaranteeing the preservation of this unique architectural heritage. The partial protection granted bears witness to the recognised value of its facades and ornaments, veritable pages of history sculpted in stone and metal. For the attentive visitor, the Caisse d'Épargne de Saint-Brieuc is an essential stop-off on a walk through the town's historic centre.
Architecture
The building is fully in keeping with the eclectic academic trend that characterised the architectural production of the École des Beaux-Arts at the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Far from formal invention, Georges-Robert Lefort opted for a skilful composition that drew on the classical repertoire while adapting it to the representative imperatives of a financial institution. The Palladian bay - a tripartite opening consisting of a central arch flanked by two narrower rectangular bays - is the central and most immediately recognisable motif of the façade, giving the whole a controlled monumentality. The richness of the building lies in the skilful combination of contrasting materials: polished granite, typically Breton in origin but here treated with a rare sophistication, forms the backbone of the composition; sculpted stone provides the ornamental details - capitals, surrounds, friezes - that enliven the surfaces; ceramic introduces a welcome note of colour and lightness; finally, bronze, a noble material par excellence, signs the architectural trimmings and accessories. This masterful polychromy is characteristic of the eclectic tastes of the Belle Époque, which didn't hesitate to call on several excellent craftsmen for a single project. The roof is a particularly original element of the composition: it is crowned by a ridge decorated with metal interlacing, a motif that evokes both the decorative arts of the emerging Art Nouveau movement and medieval ornamental traditions. This detail, visible from the street, testifies to the architect's desire to take care of every component of the building, including those that ordinary passers-by don't always notice.
Related Figures
Georges-Robert Lefort — architecte ayant achevé la construction en 1909, formé dans la tradition académique de l'École des Beaux-Arts de ParisBenjamin Delessert — promoteur national des caisses d'épargne en France au XIXe siècle, figure tutélaire du mouvement dont saint-brieuc est un héritierLes artisans sculpteurs briochins — anonymes mais essentiels, auteurs des ornements en pierre sculptée qui animent la façadeLes céramistes et fondeurs en bronze — maîtres artisans ayant contribué à la richesse décorative de l'édificeLes élus municipaux et administrateurs de la Caisse d'Épargne locale — commanditaires du projet au tournant du XXe siècle
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Caisse d'Epargne located?
Caisse d'Epargne is located in Saint-Brieuc, Département 22 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Caisse d'Epargne built?
Caisse d'Epargne dates back to a period built in the modern era (19th-20th century).
Is Caisse d'Epargne open to visitors?
Caisse d'Epargne is currently closed to visitors.
