Eglise Notre-Dame
ChurchHidden Treasure
Eglise Notre-Dame, located in Kergrist-Moëlou (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
- Kergrist-Moëlou, Département 22, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.3101, -3.3178
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00089213
A jewel of the Breton Renaissance, Notre-Dame de Kergrist-Moëlou church boasts a remarkable monumental calvary and 16th-century flamboyant-Renaissance Gothic architecture, twice listed as a Historic Monument.
History
Nestling in the heart of the Guingamp region, in the small rural village of Kergrist-Moëlou, Notre-Dame church is one of those discreet gems of Breton heritage that are well worth the diversions. Built in the 16th century in the flamboyant Gothic style with Renaissance influences, it is a marvellous example of the genius of the Breton builders of the late ducal period, who were able to combine the rigour of the Gothic style with the early Renaissance ornamentation that came from Italy via the Loire. What makes Notre-Dame de Kergrist-Moëlou truly unique is its parish enclosure and sculpted calvary, a monumental ensemble characteristic of parish enclosures in the Côtes-d'Armor region. The granite sculptures that adorn the Calvary are a striking testament to Breton popular faith and the skills of local stonemasons, who were able to bring to life scenes from the Passion in the rough stone of kersanton and grey granite. Each figure, worn by the centuries and the Atlantic rains, retains a disturbing expressiveness. The experience of visiting the church is particularly moving: you enter the enclosure through an elaborate triumphal gateway, skirting the mossy granite steles before approaching the facade of the church, whose gables and pinnacles pierce a sky often laden with Breton clouds. The interior, sober and restrained, lets soft light filter through the ancient stained glass windows, giving the space an atmosphere conducive to meditation. The village's bocage setting, its surrounding moors and the almost absolute silence that reigns outside services make this church a timeless refuge. Far from the tourist crowds that flock to the more famous enclosures of Saint-Thégonnec or Guimiliau, Kergrist-Moëlou offers an intimate face-to-face encounter with the deep soul of inland Brittany.
Architecture
The church of Notre-Dame de Kergrist-Moëlou is part of the late Breton Gothic tradition, characterised by structural sobriety inherited from the Flamboyant Gothic and sculpted ornamentation concentrated on the portals, bell towers and buttresses. The walls, built of local granite in bluish-grey tones, give the building the austere robustness typical of buildings in the Trégor-Goëlo region. The general plan is that of a church with a single nave or three slightly differentiated aisles, flanked by aisles and finished with a flat or slightly polygonal chevet, as was common practice in the Brest countryside in the 16th century. The bell tower-porch, an emblematic feature of Breton parish architecture, rises from the façade with its finely worked arcatures and pinnacles. The parish enclosure is the most remarkable architectural and sculptural feature of the whole. The triumphal arch at the entrance, the ossuaries and above all the monumental calvary form a coherent iconographic programme dedicated to the Passion of Christ and the patron saints of Brittany. The sculptures on the calvary, carved from the region's grey granite, feature hieratic figures with rigid drapery characteristic of the Breton style of the second half of the 16th century, which eschewed Italianate mannerisms in favour of direct, popular expression. Inside, the oak framework, sculpted runners and semi-circular or pointed arches bear witness to the particular care taken in decorating the nave. The stained glass windows, even though they have been partially replaced during modern restorations, retain some old fragments that filter coloured light onto the granite slabs on the floor. A number of polychrome wooden statues representing the Virgin Mary and local saints complete the authentic interior furnishings.
Related Figures
Fabrique paroissiale de Kergrist-Moëlou — commanditaire collectif de l'édifice au XVIe siècleMaîtres tailleurs de pierre bretons anonymes — sculpteurs du calvaire et des ornements architecturauxAnne de Bretagne (1477-1514) — duchesse dont le règne impulsa le renouveau des enclos paroissiaux bretonsHenri IV — dont la reconquête de Guingamp (1591) marqua la région lors des guerres de la LigueInspecteurs des Monuments Historiques (années 1920) — acteurs du double classement de 1921 et 1925
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Eglise Notre-Dame located?
Eglise Notre-Dame is located in Kergrist-Moëlou, Département 22 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Eglise Notre-Dame built?
Eglise Notre-Dame dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Eglise Notre-Dame open to visitors?
Eglise Notre-Dame is currently closed to visitors.
