Cathédrale Saint-Pierre
ChurchHidden Treasure
Cathédrale Saint-Pierre, located in Rennes (Département 35), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- Church
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Rennes, Département 35, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.1116, -1.6834
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00090675
Four centuries of building tenacity in the heart of Rennes: Saint-Pierre cathedral boasts a monumental Baroque façade and an interior with a decorative richness that is rare in Brittany.
History
Standing in the heart of the old town of Rennes, Saint-Pierre Cathedral is the very embodiment of the perseverance of a city that took over three hundred years to build a cathedral worthy of its ambitions. Neither flamboyant Gothic nor austere Romanesque, it belongs to that family of hybrid buildings where each era has left its mark without erasing that of the previous one, composing an architectural work of singular coherence. What makes Saint-Pierre truly unique is the coexistence of two distinct souls: a classical Baroque façade whose antique columns and sculpted portals bear witness to Laval's great taste in the 17th century, and a strikingly large neoclassical interior, rebuilt in the late 18th and 19th centuries after the dramatic collapse of 1768. There are few cathedrals in France where the passage of time is so clearly visible, without the whole structure lacking in majesty. The visit is full of surprises. Inside, the eye is immediately caught by the profusion of decoration: painted vaults, gilded altarpieces, side chapels, each of which is an art cabinet in itself. The Notre-Dame-des-Remèdes chapel, with its 16th-century Flemish altarpiece, is one of the cathedral's absolute jewels, a painted panel of exceptional finesse that contrasts with the surrounding neoclassical sobriety. The forecourt opens onto the Rue de la Monnaie and the lively historic centre of Rennes, making the visit a natural part of a tour of old Rennes, with its corbelled half-timbering and stone mansions. The contrast between the hustle and bustle of the streets and the serenity of the nave is an added bonus. Lovers of light will particularly appreciate the early hours of the morning, when the stained glass windows cast a soft, colourful glow over the golden stone columns.
Architecture
Saint-Pierre Cathedral boasts a striking architectural duality that few French religious buildings offer on such a scale. Its western façade, designed between the end of the 16th and the end of the 17th centuries by the Laval architects Caris, Corbineau and Huguet, is part of the French Classical Baroque style with a strong Italian influence. It is punctuated by two massive side towers framing a two-storey central forecourt, punctuated by pilasters with Corinthian capitals, niches housing statues and portals topped by broken pediments. The side portals, dating from 1540, are the only surviving Renaissance features, with their engaged columns and finely moulded archivolts. The interior, completely rebuilt after the collapse of 1768 and completed in 1841, offers a striking contrast: here, severe yet luminous neoclassicism reigns, with a nave and side aisles punctuated by large fluted columns supporting round arches. The Latin cross floor plan is around sixty metres long, with side chapels opening onto the side aisles. From 1867 onwards, the neoclassical austerity was tempered by a rich decorative programme: warmly painted vaults, sculpted altarpieces, gilded woodwork and panelling. The masterpiece remains the Flemish altarpiece in the Notre-Dame-des-Remèdes chapel, a 16th-century painted panel of exceptional pictorial quality, a veritable treasure enshrined in a neoclassical setting.
Related Figures
Tugdual Caris — architecte lavallois, direction du chantier de la façade au XVIIe sièclePierre Corbineau — architecte lavallois, co-directeur de la troisième campagne de construction (1640-1700)François Huguet — architecte lavallois, achèvement de la façade baroque classiqueLes évêques de Rennes successifs — commanditaires et maîtres d'ouvrage des différentes campagnesLes chanoines du chapitre cathédral — financeurs et gardiens du projet sur trois siècles
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Cathédrale Saint-Pierre located?
Cathédrale Saint-Pierre is located in Rennes, Département 35 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Cathédrale Saint-Pierre built?
Cathédrale Saint-Pierre dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Cathédrale Saint-Pierre open to visitors?
Cathédrale Saint-Pierre is currently closed to visitors.
