Eglise Notre-Dame-de-la-Cour et croix de calvaire
ChurchHidden Treasure
Eglise Notre-Dame-de-la-Cour et croix de calvaire, located in Lantic (Département 22), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- Church
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Lantic, Département 22, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.5985, -2.8977
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00089296
Founded in 1420 by Jean V, Duke of Brittany, Notre-Dame-de-la-Cour in Lantic has two 15th-century Gothic stained glass windows and a Baroque Calvary cross, witness to a destiny marked by fire and rebirth.
History
Nestling in the market town of Lantic, on the edge of the Côtes-d'Armor department, the church of Notre-Dame-de-la-Cour is one of the most attractive religious buildings in inland Brittany. A listed monument since 1907, it brings together in one place several strata of Breton history: the ducal ambitions of the 15th century, the reconstructions of the Renaissance and the scars of a devastating fire in the 19th century. What makes Notre-Dame-de-la-Cour truly unique is the coexistence of its two original Gothic stained-glass windows, which have survived the ravages of time, and an architectural plan that has been reconstructed over the centuries. The building is not a monument frozen in a single era: it is the living sum of successive reconstructions, each bearing the mark of its time, from the first stones laid on the orders of John V to the bell tower erected after the collapse of the old one. Visiting the church is an intimate and contemplative experience. The interior, sober as befits Breton buildings, gives full rein to the Gothic stained glass windows, whose vivid colours stand out against the grey stone of the walls. The nearby calvary cross, carved in the 17th century in the tradition of parish enclosures, is an invitation to serene contemplation in this unspoilt rural village. The setting of Lantic, a peaceful village between Paimpol and Saint-Brieuc, adds to the charm of the visit. The verdant surroundings, typical of the Breton hinterland, make Notre-Dame-de-la-Cour an ideal stop-off point for those wishing to explore the heritage routes of the Côtes-d'Armor, away from the crowds and signposted tourist routes.
Architecture
Notre-Dame-de-la-Cour has a composite architecture, the result of several building campaigns spread over the 15th to 19th centuries. The original Gothic style can still be seen in the lower sections of the building, which are constructed from Armorican granite, the preferred material of Breton builders because of its robustness and local availability. The nave, rebuilt in the 16th century on a different plan from that originally planned, introduces a slight change in the spatial logic of the whole, without however breaking with the sobriety characteristic of rural religious buildings in Brittany. The interior is distinguished above all by its two 15th-century Gothic stained glass windows, the jewels in the building's crown. These stained glass windows, with their typically Marian and hagiographic iconography, bathe the grey stone in coloured light, giving the space a remarkably well-preserved atmosphere of medieval contemplation. The panelled cradle that once adorned the nave and the south aisle, destroyed by fire in 1874, is no longer visible, but its disappearance is a reminder of the extent to which the carved roof structure played an essential aesthetic and acoustic role in these spaces. Outside, the 17th-century calvary cross, carved in granite in the style of Breton Baroque statuary, completes the ensemble with a sober monumental presence. The modern bell tower, rebuilt after the old one collapsed, adopts an aerial silhouette that contrasts deliberately with the compact mass of the body of the church, signalling the presence of the sanctuary in the surrounding countryside.
Related Figures
Jean V, duc de Bretagne (1389-1442), commanditaire de la construction en 1420Les maîtres d'œuvre anonymes du XVe siècle, auteurs du parti gothique originalLes maîtres verriers du XVe siècle, auteurs des deux verrières conservéesLes artisans reconstructeurs du XVIe siècle, auteurs de la nef actuelleLe sculpteur anonyme du XVIIe siècle, auteur de la croix de calvaire
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Eglise Notre-Dame-de-la-Cour et croix de calvaire located?
Eglise Notre-Dame-de-la-Cour et croix de calvaire is located in Lantic, Département 22 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Eglise Notre-Dame-de-la-Cour et croix de calvaire built?
Eglise Notre-Dame-de-la-Cour et croix de calvaire dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Eglise Notre-Dame-de-la-Cour et croix de calvaire open to visitors?
Eglise Notre-Dame-de-la-Cour et croix de calvaire is currently closed to visitors.
