Croix du 17e siècle
MonumentHidden Treasure
Croix du 17e siècle, located in La Ferrière (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
- La Ferrière, Département 22, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.1422, -2.6057
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00089150
Standing in the heart of La Ferrière since the 17th century, this monumental cross in Breton granite embodies the Catholic fervour of Baroque Brittany, with its finely chiselled sculptures listed as Historic Monuments.
History
As you turn down a country lane in the Côtes-d'Armor region, the monumental cross at La Ferrière stands out like an immovable landmark in the Breton countryside. Erected in the 17th century, at a time when Brittany was experiencing an intense revival of popular piety, it belongs to that remarkable family of calvaries and crosses that dot the Armorican peninsula, forming a lapidary heritage unrivalled in Europe. Carved from local granite, the noble and resistant material that has forged the architectural identity of the whole region, the cross stands out for the quality of its carving. The slender shaft, set on a stepped plinth, bears a Christ on the Cross, whose plastic treatment betrays the hand of a talented local craftsman, who mastered the iconographic conventions of the Counter-Reformation while infusing them with a distinctly Breton sensibility. The roughness of the material contrasts with the delicacy of the drapery and the expression on the face, creating that aesthetic tension characteristic of rural devotional works from the Grand Siècle. To visit the La Ferrière cross is to immerse yourself in the daily life of rural Brittany in the 17th century, when these monuments structured the sacred space of the parish. Planted at a symbolic location - probably an old crossroads or the boundary of an estate - they were the focal point for processions, travellers' prayers and popular devotions. One can imagine the parishioners of La Ferrière kneeling there throughout the seasons, punctuating their liturgical year around this stone landmark. Now protected by a Monuments Historiques listing since 1925, the cross benefits from a heritage status that testifies to the recognised value of this type of Breton stone artefact. It forms part of a dense network of listed crosses throughout the Côtes-d'Armor, each telling in its own way the story of a community, a faith and a territory. For visitors sensitive to art and history, it offers an intimate and moving stopover, far from the main tourist routes, in contact with an authentic and preserved heritage.
Architecture
The monumental cross at La Ferrière has all the typical features of 17th-century Breton rural devotional crosses. It is carved from granite from the Côtes-d'Armor region, a local rock par excellence, which is both abundant and exceptionally resistant to the elements - an essential quality for a monument destined to stand the test of time in the open air. Its slightly bluish grey tinge, which develops golden and green lichens over time, gives it the organic patina characteristic of old monuments in rural Brittany. The whole structure rests on a stepped base, allowing the cross to dominate its immediate surroundings and signal its presence from the surrounding paths. The shaft, quadrangular or octagonal in cross-section according to regional tradition, rises to support a cross with sculpted arms. The crosspiece bears a Christ on the Cross, carved in the round or in bas-relief, in a Counter-Reformation style that emphasises the physical reality of Christ's sacrifice. Stylized plant motifs or instruments of the Passion may adorn the sides of the shaft, enriching the iconographic programme of the cross. The architectural style is what specialists refer to as Breton rural baroque: a decorative vocabulary inspired by Jesuit and Mannerist models, but interpreted with the sobriety and power typical of Armorican granite craftsmen. The region's stonemasons had developed specific skills for working with this difficult material, creating works of great expressiveness despite - or thanks to - the strength of the granite.
Related Figures
Recteur de La Ferrière au XVIIe siècle (commanditaire présumé de la croix)Père Julien Maunoir (1606-1683), missionnaire jésuite dont les missions en Bretagne inspirèrent l'érection de nombreuses croix dans les Côtes-d'ArmorTailleur de pierre breton anonyme du XVIIe siècle, artisan de la croixBienheureux Michel Le Nobletz (1577-1652), pionnier des missions bretonnes qui insuffla le renouveau de la piété populaire dans la régionConservateur régional des Monuments Historiques (1925), signataire de l'arrêté d'inscription
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Croix du 17e siècle located?
Croix du 17e siècle is located in La Ferrière, Département 22 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Croix du 17e siècle built?
Croix du 17e siècle dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Croix du 17e siècle open to visitors?
Croix du 17e siècle is currently closed to visitors.
