Eglise Saint-Mélaine
ChurchHidden Treasure
Eglise Saint-Mélaine, located in Morlaix (Département 29), 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
- Morlaix, Département 29, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.5790, -3.8283
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00090129
Joyau gothique breton des XVe-XVIe siècles, l'église Saint-Mélaine de Morlaix séduit par ses voûtes lambrissées à entraits sculptés et son singulier bénitier enchâssé dans le meneau de son portail méridional.
History
Nestling in the historic heart of Morlaix, a port town in Finistère whose viaduct proudly dominates its slate roofs, the church of Saint-Mélaine bears eloquent witness to the building fervour that animated ducal and royal Brittany in the 15th and 16th centuries. Listed as a Historic Monument since 1914, it is one of the most attractive religious buildings in a town already rich in architectural heritage. What immediately sets Saint-Mélaine apart from its contemporaries is the generosity of its interior framework. Far from the mineral coldness of the great Gothic cathedrals, the church's three naves are topped by wooden vaults with finely worked runners and crossbeams - a typically Breton decorative vocabulary that gives the space an organic warmth and an almost domestic intimacy. Fifteenth-century Breton carpenters mastered this art of carved wood with a virtuosity comparable to that of stonemasons, and Saint-Mélaine offers a particularly fine example. The southern portal has a charming surprise in store: a holy water font has been cleverly incorporated into the mullion itself, the stone column that divides the two doorways. This detail, rare in French religious architecture, says a lot about the practical ingenuity of Breton master builders, who were always keen to combine utility and decorum in a single lapidary gesture. A visit to Saint-Mélaine also means immersing yourself in the town of Morlaix, whose half-timbered alleyways, timber-framed houses and famous railway viaduct form an exceptional backdrop. The church is part of a remarkably well-preserved medieval urban fabric, just a stone's throw from the covered market and the famous Morlaix museum, making it a natural stop-off point on any tour of the old town.
Architecture
Saint-Mélaine is part of the Breton flamboyant Gothic tradition, a regional style that adapts the great lessons of continental Gothic architecture to local conditions - hard granite, skilled carpenters, a taste for rich decoration. The building adopts a classical basilica plan with three naves, where the central nave, which is taller and wider, is flanked by side aisles that diffuse a soft, subdued light. The bluish-grey granite, which is omnipresent in Morlaix buildings, lends the whole a mineral sobriety that is typical of Finistère. The most original feature of the interior is the wooden panelled vaults with ornate runners and cross-beams. Unlike the cross-ribbed stone vaults that dominate continental Gothic, this timber-framed solution is a specific feature of medieval Breton and Norman architecture. The entraits - the horizontal beams that brace the roof structure - are carved with plant motifs, human figures or angels, creating a sort of striped design of stone and wood running from wall to wall. The runners, longitudinal pieces of wood that rest on the eaves walls, are also decorated with sculptures. The southern portal is the main point of entry, and the surprise of its stoup inlaid in the central mullion is a feature of rare ingenuity that testifies to the creativity of Breton master masons. The portal is typical of the late flamboyant Gothic style, with its moulded archivolts and soberly profiled jambs, in keeping with the Breton aesthetic that favours rigour over decorative exuberance.
Related Figures
Saint Mélaine (mort vers 530) — évêque de Rennes et saint patron de l'église, figure tutélaire du christianisme breton primitifMaîtres charpentiers bretons du XVe siècle — artisans anonymes responsables des remarquables voûtes en bois sculptéesMaîtres maçons du XVIe siècle — concepteurs du portail méridional et de son ingénieux bénitier sur meneauMarchands et armateurs morlaisiens des XVe-XVIe siècles — mécènes probables du chantier, enrichis par le commerce maritimeInspecteurs des Monuments Historiques (1914) — acteurs du classement officiel qui assure la protection de l'édifice
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Eglise Saint-Mélaine located?
Eglise Saint-Mélaine is located in Morlaix, Département 29 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Eglise Saint-Mélaine built?
Eglise Saint-Mélaine dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Eglise Saint-Mélaine open to visitors?
Eglise Saint-Mélaine is currently closed to visitors.
