Eglise Saint-Salomon
ChurchHidden Treasure
Eglise Saint-Salomon, located in La Martyre (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
- La Martyre, Département 29, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.4490, -4.1600
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00090108
In the heart of Brittany's Léon region, the church of Saint-Salomon in La Martyre boasts 16th-century stained glass windows and a cemetery gate surmounted by a calvary - striking examples of Breton flamboyant art.
History
Nestling in the peaceful market town of La Martyre, right in the heart of Finistère, the church of Saint-Salomon is one of those discreet jewels that Brittany has always been so generous with. Dedicated to Saint Salomon, the martyred king of Brittany revered throughout the Armorican peninsula, it is a remarkable testament to the faith and skills of Breton craftsmen between the late Middle Ages and the early modern period. Visitors are immediately struck by the ensemble formed by the cemetery gate and its calvary. This ossuary-porch with its low arch, crowned by a carved balustrade and a sculpted calvary, is a perfect illustration of the Breton tradition of the parish enclosure - a unique organisation in the world that brings together the church, the cemetery, the calvary and sometimes the ossuary in a single sacred space. La Martyre has one of the oldest of these enclosures in Finistère, predating even the famous examples of Saint-Thégonnec and Guimiliau. The interior reveals treasures of a different kind: four windows retain their original 16th-century stained glass, one of which bears the date 1567, engraved in the glass like a message spanning the centuries. The vibrant polychromy of these windows, with their hagiographic scenes and figures in Renaissance costumes, bathe the nave in a colourful light that transforms the visit into a truly spiritual and aesthetic experience. The choir screen, a rare feature that has been preserved in its medieval configuration, elegantly separates the liturgical choir from the nave. This feature, once common in large churches, disappeared from almost all French religious buildings during the post-Tridentine reforms or revolutionary destruction: its preservation at La Martyre is in itself a heritage miracle. For visitors, La Martyre offers an intimate and profound experience. Far from the crowds that sometimes invade the large neighbouring enclosures, here you can take the time to admire Breton art at its apogee, in an almost untouched silence. Photography enthusiasts will find the framing of the gilded stone and the filtered light of the Renaissance stained glass windows striking.
Architecture
The church of Saint-Salomon is in the tradition of Breton flamboyant Gothic, a particular style that developed in Léon and Cornouaille in the 15th and 16th centuries, marked by a pronounced taste for ornamental sculpture and the use of kersantite stone - the dark, fine rock so typical of Finistère building sites. The use of local granite gives the building the robust grey hue so typical of Finistère monuments, which takes on a silvery sheen in the Breton light. The parish enclosure is the most remarkable feature of the site. The cemetery gate, with its low arch, is topped by a finely crafted balustrade and crowned by a sculpted calvary, a dense iconographic programme that in itself sums up medieval Breton spirituality. The bell tower, whose proportions are reminiscent of 13th-century bell towers, is distinguished by its slender, sober silhouette, contrasting with the decorative richness of the more recent parts. The façade of the church features the characteristic moulded portals of the regional Gothic style, with their voussoirs decorated with foliage and figures. Inside, the sculpted stone choir screen is an exceptional piece of architecture, dividing the space into several liturgical sequences. The four 16th-century stained-glass windows punctuate the nave and choir with their coloured light; their grisaille compositions enhanced with silver yellow and deep reds bear witness to the mastery of Breton glassmakers of the Renaissance. The furnishings - statues, fonts, altars - complete a stylistically coherent interior decoration that is remarkable for a building that has spanned five centuries of history.
Related Figures
Saint Salomon III — roi de Bretagne martyrisé en 874, saint patron de l'église et figure tutélaire de la communeArtisans verriers bretons du XVIe siècle — auteurs des vitraux conservés, dont celui daté de 1567Clergé paroissial du XVe-XVIe siècle — commanditaires des grandes campagnes de construction de l'enclosArchitectes et tailleurs de pierre léonards — bâtisseurs anonymes de la porte de cimetière et de la clôture de chœurCommission des Monuments Historiques — responsable du classement de l'édifice le 28 février 1916
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Eglise Saint-Salomon located?
Eglise Saint-Salomon is located in La Martyre, Département 29 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Eglise Saint-Salomon built?
Eglise Saint-Salomon dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Eglise Saint-Salomon open to visitors?
Eglise Saint-Salomon is currently closed to visitors.
