Deux croix monolithes à socle commun
MonumentHidden Treasure
Deux croix monolithes à socle commun, located in Ploërmel (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
- Ploërmel, Département 56, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.9078, -2.4227
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00091501
In the heart of Ploërmel, two monolithic crosses of Breton granite share the same plinth in a unique face-to-face encounter: the Guyot crosses, stone sentinels marked with mysterious dots since the 16th century.
History
In the sacred landscape of inland Brittany, certain monuments speak in hushed tones but with a strange persistence. The two monolithic crosses in Ploërmel, known as the Guyot crosses, belong to this singular category: two shafts of rough granite, of unequal height, rising from a common base like two silent brothers. This dual configuration, rare in the corpus of Breton monumental crosses, gives them an immediately striking sculptural presence. The first thing that strikes the visitor is the hexagonal cross-section of the shafts and arms - a deliberately chosen geometric shape that sets these crosses apart from the cylindrical or square vocabulary usually encountered. The hexagon, a figure of perfection and natural order, reflects the mastery of the stonemason and a clear artistic intention, far from any improvisation. Their second mystery lies beneath the transverse arms: one of the crosses has five dots carved into the granite, the other four. These lapidary marks, discreet but intentional, have fuelled the imagination for centuries. Are they the marks of a craftsman, devotional symbols, brotherhood markers or the simple signatures of those who commissioned them? The question remains open, which only adds to the charm of these stone sentinels. Visiting the Guyot crosses also means letting yourself be carried away by the special atmosphere of Ploërmel, a historic town with a rich past, a crossroads in Morbihan where pilgrimage routes and medieval trade routes intersect. These crosses are part of a Breton tradition of wayside crosses and cemetery crosses that dot the region like so many spiritual anchor points. For the photographer or the walker who is sensitive to popular Romanesque art, these two monoliths offer a subject of great sobriety: the grey granite streaked with lichen, the geometry of the hexagonal arms cut out against the Armorican sky, and this common base that unites two distinct silhouettes - a strong, almost metaphorical image of duality in unity.
Architecture
The Guyot crosses are remarkably coherent in their stone architecture. Their shafts and arms are hexagonal in cross-section, an unusual geometric shape in Breton cross sculpture that reflects a real stylistic ambition. This six-sided cross-section, maintained over the entire height of the monoliths, requires precise, sustained carving in a material as resistant as Morbihan granite, renowned for its hardness and tight grain. The two crosses, of unequal height, share the same solid granite base - a common foundation that anchors them firmly in the ground and gives them a visual unity despite their asymmetry. This difference in height, far from being a defect, gives the whole a striking asymmetrical dynamic, almost evoking a frozen conversation between the two stones. The transverse arms, also hexagonal, respect the classic proportions of Breton monumental crosses without any decorative excess. The most enigmatic feature is the engraved dots under the arms: five on one, four on the other. These lapidary marks, discreet and precisely positioned, are typical of the practices of 16th-17th century stonemasons and masons, who marked their work for accounting, symbolic or identification purposes. The granite used, extracted from local quarries in the Ploërmel basin, has the characteristic bluish-grey hue of Armorican granite, now enhanced by the lichen patina that colours the exposed surfaces ochre, green and gold.
Related Figures
Famille Guyot — commanditaires présumés des croix, bourgeois ou notables de Ploërmel aux XVIe-XVIIe sièclesTailleurs de pierre anonymes — maîtres lapicides bretons auteurs de la section hexagonale caractéristiqueInspecteurs des Monuments Historiques — agents du service des Beaux-Arts ayant instruit la protection de 1927Jean-Marie de La Mennais — figure religieuse majeure de Ploërmel au XIXe siècle, incarnant la piété de la ville
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Deux croix monolithes à socle commun located?
Deux croix monolithes à socle commun is located in Ploërmel, Département 56 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Deux croix monolithes à socle commun built?
Deux croix monolithes à socle commun dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Deux croix monolithes à socle commun open to visitors?
Deux croix monolithes à socle commun is currently closed to visitors.