Chapelle de la Clarté
MonumentHidden Treasure
Chapelle de la Clarté, located in Baud (Département 56), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Baud, Département 56, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.8751, -3.0193
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00091016
A flamboyant Gothic jewel in the Morbihan region, the Chapelle de la Clarté in Baud boasts a polygonal chevet of rare elegance and a Renaissance tower with a mysterious spire that was struck by lightning.
History
Nestling in the Breton bocage of Baud, in the heart of Morbihan, the Chapelle de la Clarté is one of those small sacred buildings that concentrate several centuries of religious and artistic history in a modest space. Built at the end of the 15th century, it is one of the many Breton chapels that line the paths of devotion and bear witness to an intense popular faith, deeply rooted in the land. Its very name - La Clarté - evokes the divine light and Marian devotion that inspired the builders of the time. What immediately sets the chapel apart is the silhouette of its polygonal apse, crowned by a particularly slender gable end. This striking verticality, characteristic of late Breton Gothic, gives the building an almost immaterial presence in the landscape, as if the stone were trying to free itself from gravity to reach the sky. The tower, added in the 16th century, completes the picture with its gargoyles and balusters in an already classical vocabulary, a sign of a prolonged construction period and renewed artistic ambitions. To visit the Chapelle de la Clarté is to enter a space of contemplation where time seems suspended. The interior retains the atmosphere of sober, sincere devotion typical of Breton rural chapels, far removed from the glitz and glamour of the great cathedrals. The light filtering through the windows and the special acoustics of these narrow volumes invite contemplation. Lovers of medieval architecture will find much to analyse here, while walkers sensitive to the atmosphere can simply recharge their batteries. Baud, a town in central Morbihan on the edge of the Pontivy region, offers a discreet green setting. The chapel is part of a wider network of Breton religious monuments, chapels and calvaries, making the Bigouden region and inland Morbihan an exceptional area for those interested in sacred heritage. An essential stop-off on your tour of deepest Brittany.
Architecture
The Chapelle de la Clarté is a particularly accomplished example of Breton flamboyant Gothic architecture, characterised by the sobriety of the ornamentation and the quest for verticality. The building has an elongated plan with a single nave, typical of rural chapels in western Brittany, and a polygonal apse, the most memorable visual feature of which is the particularly slender gable end. This sharp, skyward-pointing end is one of the most distinctive features of Breton religious architecture in the late Middle Ages, and the Chapelle de la Clarté is a rare example. The tower, built in the 16th century on the side or front of the nave, bears witness to a new artistic spirit. Its gargoyles and balusters already display a vocabulary tinged with classicism, a sign of the transition that was taking place in Breton stonemasons' workshops at the time. Deprived of its original spire - blown away by lightning - it now has a flat top, giving it a singular appearance, somewhere between an unfinished medieval building and a romantic ruin. The materials used are those of the region: Morbihan granite, a hard stone with grey and bluish tones that has acquired a noble patina over the centuries. The interior, as sober as befits a Breton chapel, probably preserves a bare stone architecture punctuated by pointed arches. Natural light, filtered through narrow windows or windows with Gothic infill, creates an atmosphere of contemplation typical of these spaces dedicated to popular devotion. Together, they provide a coherent and authentic testimony to the way in which Breton communities built and embellished their places of worship over three centuries.
Related Figures
Fondateurs anonymes de la communauté paroissiale de Baud (fin XVe siècle)Maître maçon breton anonyme du chevet polygonal (fin XVe siècle)Tailleurs de pierre locaux de la tour Renaissance (XVIe siècle)Seigneurs locaux mécènes probables des travaux du XVIIe siècleInspecteurs des Monuments Historiques ayant instruit le classement de 1925
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Chapelle de la Clarté located?
Chapelle de la Clarté is located in Baud, Département 56 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Chapelle de la Clarté built?
Chapelle de la Clarté dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Chapelle de la Clarté open to visitors?
Chapelle de la Clarté is currently closed to visitors.
