Eglise Saint-Sauveur (ancienne basilique)
ChurchHidden Treasure
Eglise Saint-Sauveur (ancienne basilique), located in Redon (Département 35), 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
- Redon, Département 35, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.6505, -2.0836
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00090666
One of Brittany's Romanesque and Gothic jewels, the former Benedictine abbey of Saint-Sauveur de Redon boasts a classic 17th-century cloister restored by Richelieu and a thousand years of history engraved in stone.
History
In the heart of Redon, at the crossroads of Brittany and the Pays de la Loire, the former Abbey of Saint-Sauveur stands out as one of the most complete and moving monastic complexes in the region. Founded in the 9th century and enriched by centuries of devotion, reconstruction and intellectual influence, it takes visitors on a journey through the golden age of French religious architecture. What makes this monument truly unique is the legible superimposition of its historical strata: the 12th-century Romanesque abbey church sits alongside flamboyant Gothic additions from the 14th and 15th centuries, while the conventual buildings, redesigned at the instigation of Cardinal de Richelieu in the 17th century, bear witness to the great Maurist reform of the Benedictine order. This dialogue between eras gives the whole complex a rare narrative density. The 17th-century cloister, listed as a Historic Monument since 1930, is one of the most soothing spaces on the site. Its galleries of sober stone arcades invite you to take a contemplative stroll, while the Congregation chapel - a former chapter house - retains an atmosphere of striking authenticity. The 19th-century chapel, with its original furnishings intact, bears precious witness to the religious tastes of the time. The abbey complex is now part of the Collège Saint-Sauveur, and its daily life in no way detracts from the majesty of the site. The attentive visitor will be able to detect, in each gallery, each capital and each stonework, the traces of a community that shaped the religious, cultural and political history of Brittany for more than a thousand years.
Architecture
The abbey church of Saint-Sauveur boasts an eloquent stylistic stratification, making it a veritable manual of open-air religious architecture. The main nave, of Romanesque inspiration, is striking for the robustness of its cylindrical pillars and the sobriety of its round arches, characteristic of 12th-century Brittany. This Romanesque framework is complemented by Gothic features from the 14th and 15th centuries: a remarkable lantern tower, ribbed vaults and mullioned windows that temper the primitive severity of the whole. The 16th century has also left its mark on certain details of the interior decoration. The seventeenth-century convent buildings, arranged around the Maurist cloister, reflect a classical aesthetic of great rigour: basket-handle arches, low-pitched roofs and carefully-cut Breton granite bonding. The cloister itself, listed as a Historic Monument, features galleries laid out on a regular rectangular plan, in accordance with the architectural canons disseminated by the Congrégation de Saint-Maur in its many French establishments. The Congregation's chapel, formerly the chapter house, still has a fine panelled roof structure and period woodwork. The more functional 19th-century extensions blend discreetly into the coherence of the historic ensemble.
Related Figures
Conwoïon — moine breton fondateur de l'abbaye en 832, canonisé par l'Église catholiqueNominoë — roi de Bretagne, protecteur et bienfaiteur de l'abbaye à sa fondationLouis le Pieux — empereur carolingien ayant accordé sa protection à la fondation de ConwoïonCardinal de Richelieu — abbé commendataire au XVIIe siècle, initiateur de la reconstruction classique des bâtiments conventuelsLes bénédictins mauristes — communauté réformatrice qui façonna l'abbaye au XVIIe siècle selon les canons de la Congrégation de Saint-Maur
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Eglise Saint-Sauveur (ancienne basilique) located?
Eglise Saint-Sauveur (ancienne basilique) is located in Redon, Département 35 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Eglise Saint-Sauveur (ancienne basilique) built?
Eglise Saint-Sauveur (ancienne basilique) dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Eglise Saint-Sauveur (ancienne basilique) open to visitors?
Eglise Saint-Sauveur (ancienne basilique) is currently closed to visitors.
