Croix en granit du 13e siècle
MonumentHidden Treasure
Croix en granit du 13e siècle, located in Saint-Gilles (Département 35), is a medieval landmark built in the Middle Ages. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Medieval (11th-15th century)
- Location
- Saint-Gilles, Département 35, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.1538, -1.8292
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00090783
Dressée depuis le XIIIe siècle dans le cimetière de Saint-Gilles, cette croix en granit breton est l'un des témoignages les plus anciens et les mieux conservés de la statuaire funéraire médiévale d'Ille-et-Vilaine.
History
In the heart of the village of Saint-Gilles, in the peaceful silence of the old parish cemetery, stands a granite cross that has stood the test of time with austere dignity. Erected in the 13th century, it belongs to a family of Breton funerary monuments whose formal sobriety contrasts with the spiritual depth of the message they convey. Listed as a Historic Monument since 1907, it is one of the oldest outdoor religious sculptures still standing in the department of Ille-et-Vilaine. What makes this cross truly unique is the quality of its carving in local granite with its bluish and grey tones, characteristic of the stone workshops of eastern Brittany. The rough, dense material has withstood eight centuries of weathering without losing the legibility of its forms. The shaft, tapering slightly towards the top, rests on a massive base that anchors the cross in the ground like a tree rooted in eternity. To visit this cross is to engage in a direct dialogue with the craftsmen and believers of the Breton Middle Ages. Unlike the great cathedrals or feudal castles, this monument cannot be contemplated from afar: it can only be discovered up close, by turning slowly around it to take in the relief, the moss encrusted in the crevices, and the way the low-angled morning light reveals the details of the sculpture. The setting of the old cemetery adds a poignant dimension to the visit. Surrounded by more recent stelae, this granite ancestor seems to be watching over the generations that have succeeded him. The surrounding vegetation - centuries-old yew, tall grasses in summer - lends the place a gentle melancholy atmosphere, conducive to meditation and photography in natural light.
Architecture
The Saint-Gilles cross belongs to the type known as the "Latin cross on a shaft", the canonical form of the medieval Breton funerary cross. It is carved entirely from local medium-grained granite of a slightly bluish grey hue, whose exceptional hardness explains the remarkable state of preservation of the sculpture after more than seven hundred years of exposure to the elements. The square or slightly pyramidal base is set directly into the cemetery floor, ensuring the stability of the whole by its own weight. The shaft, square or octagonal in cross-section depending on the side, is slightly curved, visually lightening the verticality of the work. The simple, unadorned cross-arms are typical of the late Romanesque vocabulary still in use in Breton workshops in the 13th century, even though Gothic architecture was beginning to take hold in the region. Traces of light modenature - flat mouldings, sharp edges - can be seen on some faces, testifying to a certain formal care on the part of the stonemason. The sculpted iconography, discreet but present, is concentrated on the cross: a stylised Christ in majesty or a face in bas-relief is probably depicted, following the tradition of Breton cemetery crosses from this period. The modest dimensions of the cross - estimated to be between 1.50 and 2 metres high excluding the base - are in keeping with the usual proportions of this type of parish monument, designed to be seen up close rather than admired from afar.
Related Figures
Clergé paroissial de Saint-Gilles (XIIIe siècle) — commanditaires présumés de la croixTailleur de pierre breton anonyme (XIIIe siècle) — artisan ayant sculpté la croixInspecteurs des Monuments Historiques (début XXe siècle) — acteurs du classement de 1907Abbé Guillotin de Corson — érudit breton du XIXe siècle, auteur de travaux sur le patrimoine paroissial d'Ille-et-VilaineProsper Mérimée — inspecteur général des Monuments Historiques, dont l'action au XIXe siècle posa les bases de la protection des croix médiévales bretonnes
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Croix en granit du 13e siècle located?
Croix en granit du 13e siècle is located in Saint-Gilles, Département 35 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Croix en granit du 13e siècle built?
Croix en granit du 13e siècle dates back to a period built in the Middle Ages (11th-15th century).
Is Croix en granit du 13e siècle open to visitors?
Croix en granit du 13e siècle is currently closed to visitors.
