Chapelle Saint-Fiacre
MonumentHidden Treasure
Chapelle Saint-Fiacre, located in Gurunhuel (Département 22), 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
- Gurunhuel, Département 22, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.4935, -3.3055
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00089193
Nichée dans le Trégor breton, la chapelle Saint-Fiacre de Gurunhuel déploie ses pierres de kersanton et ses sculptures du XVIe siècle dans un écrin de verdure, témoignage intime de la ferveur religieuse de la Bretagne Renaissance.
History
In the heart of Trégor, the land of pardons and parish enclosures, the chapel of Saint-Fiacre in Gurunhuel stands out as a discreet jewel of Breton sacred art. Dedicated to Saint Fiacre, patron saint of gardeners and carters, and very popular in Brittany since the Middle Ages, the building retains all the rustic and sincere spirituality that characterises rural chapels in the Côtes-d'Armor region. Listed as a Historic Monument since 1964, it invites visitors to cross the threshold into a world where stone still speaks. What makes Saint-Fiacre de Gurunhuel particularly precious is its perfect integration into the Trégor countryside. Unlike the great pilgrimage chapels of the coast, it has never sought excess: on the contrary, it cultivates an eloquent sobriety, where each sculpted detail - niche, culot, portal brace - reveals the hand of a 16th-century Breton stonemason, heir to a late Gothic tradition nourished by early Renaissance influences. The visitor experience is that of an intimate encounter with living heritage. There are no crowds and no ticket booths: the chapel is open to anyone who takes the time to wander along the lanes of the Goëllo region. Inside, the half-light filtered through small mullioned windows bathes the sculptures, ex-voto paintings and liturgical furnishings typical of the workshops of Cornwall and Trégor during the Renaissance. The surrounding setting adds to the magic of the place. Surrounded by a modest enclosure planted with old oak trees, the chapel is often flanked by a fountain or a nearby well, the usual feature of shrines dedicated to Saint Fiacre, a saint who healed skin diseases and was reputed to protect flocks. An ideal visit would be to take a walk along the surrounding paths to appreciate the harmony between the building and its surroundings.
Architecture
The chapel of Saint-Fiacre in Gurunhuel is part of the great tradition of rural chapels in the Trégor region, characterised by a Latin cross plan or a single nave with a flat or cul-de-four apse, carefully dressed local granite walls and a roof of Anjou slate or slate from the Châteaulin basin, the king of Breton roofing materials. The west portal features elements typical of late Breton flamboyant Gothic: moulded semi-circular arch, engaged columns with foliage capitals, canopied niches housing statuettes of saints. The corners and facade are perhaps punctuated by crosses and belfries in kersanton - the "black stone" from the workshops in Landeleau that was very popular in the Léon and Trégor regions in the 16th century. The interior features an oak frame with pointed ends and carved crossbeams, known as "Phrygian" in some regional inventories, the runners of which sometimes bear representations of foliage, faces or angel musicians. The prismatic mullioned windows cast a subdued glow over a flagstone floor. The furnishings traditionally include an altar with a painted altarpiece, polychrome statues of Saint Fiacre as a bishop or gardener holding his spade, and a sculpted baptismal font or stoup. The exterior stone saddle and the cross from the neighbouring cemetery complete the iconographic ensemble typical of Breton parish sanctuaries of the Renaissance.
Related Figures
Saint Fiacre (VIIe siècle) — moine irlandais ermite, patron des jardiniers, saint tutélaire de la chapelle vénéré dans tout le TrégorSeigneurs de Gurunhuel (XVIe siècle) — fondateurs présumés ou donateurs de la chapelle, représentants de la noblesse locale trégorroiseMaîtres tailleurs de pierre bretons (XVIe siècle) — artisans anonymes des ateliers du Trégor auteurs du portail et des sculpturesRecteur de Gurunhuel (XVIIe-XVIIIe siècle) — prêtres paroissiaux qui animèrent les pardons annuels et entretinrent le culte de saint FiacreCommission des Monuments Historiques (1964) — instance qui, par arrêté du 22 juin 1964, consacra la valeur patrimoniale de l'édifice
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Chapelle Saint-Fiacre located?
Chapelle Saint-Fiacre is located in Gurunhuel, Département 22 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Chapelle Saint-Fiacre built?
Chapelle Saint-Fiacre dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Chapelle Saint-Fiacre open to visitors?
Chapelle Saint-Fiacre is currently closed to visitors.
