Croix de Bonabry
MonumentHidden Treasure
Croix de Bonabry, located in Hillion (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
- Hillion, Département 22, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.5159, -2.6560
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00089204
Set in the Breton region of Hillion, the Bonabry Cross is a rare example of 17th-century stonework in Brittany. It has been listed as a Historic Monument for the elegance of its carvings and its remarkable state of preservation.
History
In the heart of the coastal bocage of the Côtes-d'Armor, the Bonabry Cross stands in the commune of Hillion like a stone sentinel defying the centuries. Listed as a Historic Monument since 1951, this monumental cross belongs to a tradition that is deeply rooted in Breton identity: that of wayside crosses and calvaries, erected at the crossroads of human existence to mark paths, bless passages and ward off misfortune. Unlike simple wayside crosses, the Bonabry Cross stands out for its size and the quality of its sculptural treatment, making it a work in its own right. Seventeenth-century Brittany was a land where the Catholic faith, reaffirmed by the Counter-Reformation, manifested itself with particular intensity in the landscape. Parishes vied with each other in magnificence to decorate their crossroads and parish enclosures. It was against this backdrop of artistic and religious fervour that the Bonabry Cross was erected, bearing witness to the care taken by the local inhabitants and sponsors to honour their faith in grey granite stone, the king material of Breton architecture. The experience of visiting Bonabry is one of both meditation and artistic discovery. Visitors are invited to turn around the cross to appreciate its different faces, each revealing its reliefs from a different angle of light. The golden hours of the morning or afternoon bring out with particular delicacy the modelling of the sculpted figures, the inscriptions and the floral or geometric ornaments that enliven the shaft. The setting in Hillion adds an extra dimension to the visit. The town, on the shores of the Bay of Saint-Brieuc, offers a blend of inland hedged farmland and maritime horizons. The changing and often dramatic Breton light gives the cross a visual presence that varies with the seasons, making it a favourite subject for photographers and watercolourists who love rural heritage.
Architecture
The Bonabry Cross is part of the great tradition of 17th-century Breton monumental crosses, characterised by the use of local granite, a noble and durable material that gave structure to the architecture of the Armorican peninsula. Raised on a stepped base - a typical feature of Breton calvaries, allowing the cross to be raised and accessed for devotion - it has a slightly tapering quadrangular shaft, in keeping with the sculptural traditions of the Saint-Brieuc region. The crosspiece most likely bears a Christ on the cross on its main side, accompanied by a Virgin or a representation of Saint John on the opposite side, in accordance with the iconographic scheme most common in Breton workshops of the period. The foliage, stylised acanthus leaves and inscriptions in Latin or Breton that usually adorn the shaft bear witness to the craftsmanship inherited from the master sculptors who worked on the large parish enclosures in Finistère and Côtes-du-Nord. The workmanship of the figures, although subject to the rigidity inherent in working with granite, reveals an expressive quest characteristic of Breton provincial baroque, more restrained than its Mediterranean equivalent but imbued with a striking plastic sincerity. The granite used probably comes from local quarries around Saint-Brieuc or the Quintin region, whose bluish-grey stone forms the bulk of the traditional buildings in the commune of Hillion. The total height of the monument, including the base, must have been several metres, giving the cross the visibility it needs to be a landmark in the rural landscape.
Related Figures
Les fabriciens de la paroisse d'Hillion au XVIIe siècle (commanditaires présumés de la croix)Les maîtres tailleurs de pierre du pays de Saint-Brieuc (artisans exécutants, atelier local non identifié)Saint Yves de Tréguier (patron des Bretons, dont l'iconographie inspira de nombreuses croix de la région)Les inspecteurs des Monuments Historiques ayant instruit le classement de 1951
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Croix de Bonabry located?
Croix de Bonabry is located in Hillion, Département 22 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Croix de Bonabry built?
Croix de Bonabry dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Croix de Bonabry open to visitors?
Croix de Bonabry is currently closed to visitors.