Cimetière de Monterrein
MonumentHidden Treasure
Cimetière de Monterrein, located in Monterrein (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
- Monterrein, Département 56, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.8796, -2.3580
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00091449
In the heart of Morbihan, the Monterrein cemetery is home to a shale cross with patté arms of rare medieval sobriety, listed as a Historic Monument in 1927 - a lapidary testimony to the Breton faith.
History
Tucked away in the Morbihan bocage, the Monterrein cemetery is home to one of those discreet treasures that you only discover if you stray from the beaten track: a medieval funerary cross made of local schist, both humble in scale and striking in its presence. Far from the large monumental crosses that dot the villages of Brittany, this one imposes a sense of silence through its frontal presence and the austerity of its dark stone. What makes this heritage object truly unique is the combination of two characteristics that are rarely found together: the flat shape of the cross, which contrasts with the three-dimensional calvaries so common in Brittany, and the adoption of an end with patté arms - a heraldic and liturgical motif associated with military orders and religious brotherhoods in the Middle Ages. Schist, the local material par excellence in this part of the Armorican Massif, gives it a deep grey-blue colour that changes with the light and the seasons. A visit to Monterrein cemetery is a natural part of a slow, contemplative stroll. The village's rural setting, with its hedgerows and sunken lanes, is the ideal setting for approaching this place of remembrance. The cross stands among the headstones of the parish cemetery, offering a lesson in the continuity between ancestral beliefs and rural Christian practice. Attentive visitors will take time to observe the careful carving of the schist, the precision of the crow's feet and the overall balance of the composition, all of which betray a mastery of craftsmanship inherited from a long tradition of stone carving in the Breton countryside. Photographers and lovers of rural heritage will find a remarkably authentic motif here, far from the crowds.
Architecture
The cemetery cross at Monterrein is a work of medieval lapidary sculpture characterised by its entirely flat design, carved from a block of local slate schist. Unlike traditional Breton calvaries, which feature complex iconography in relief or in the round, this cross has a slender profile and a cut-out silhouette, giving it an almost abstract graphic presence that is disconcertingly modern. The most remarkable feature of the cross's morphology is its pattéed arms. Each end of the cross gradually widens into a flared foot, forming a dovetail motif that visually reinforces the stability of the composition and places it in the heraldic and liturgical tradition of crosses of chivalry. This detail demonstrates a meticulous design that goes beyond the simple signalling cross to achieve a genuine aesthetic intention. The schist used, which is typical of the Morbihan subsoil, has a slate-grey tinge, tending towards blue-green depending on the angle of the light and the degree of humidity. The natural cleavage properties of this material meant that the carver had to be particularly disciplined and have an intimate knowledge of the stone. The surface of the cross, slightly rough, catches the grazing light and reveals the characteristic flaky texture of the schist, adding to the visual richness of the whole.
Related Figures
Artisan tailleur de pierre breton anonyme (Moyen Âge) — auteur présumé de la croixCurés successifs de la paroisse de Monterrein — gardiens du monument à travers les sièclesMembres de la Société Polymathique du Morbihan — pionniers du recensement du patrimoine rural breton au XIXe siècleInspecteurs des Monuments Historiques de la IIIe République — responsables de l'inscription de 1927
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Cimetière de Monterrein located?
Cimetière de Monterrein is located in Monterrein, Département 56 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Cimetière de Monterrein built?
Cimetière de Monterrein dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Cimetière de Monterrein open to visitors?
Cimetière de Monterrein is currently closed to visitors.