Eglise Saint-Yves
ChurchHidden Treasure
Eglise Saint-Yves, located in La Roche-Maurice (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 Roche-Maurice, Département 29, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.4731, -4.2031
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00090399
A 15th-century Breton Gothic gem, Saint-Yves church in La Roche-Maurice boasts an exceptional sculpted rood screen and a Baroque funeral chapel that have stood the test of time for four centuries.
History
Nestling at the foot of the rocky promontory overlooking the Élorn valley, Saint-Yves church in La Roche-Maurice is one of the finest examples of Breton religious art from the late Middle Ages. Its sober silhouette, built of slate monoliths tending towards blue-grey, stands out with obvious nobility in the landscape of the Léon region of Finistère, just a few kilometres from Landerneau. What immediately sets Saint-Yves apart from so many other Breton parish churches is the coherence and richness of its interior. As soon as you cross the threshold, you are struck by the panelled cradle that covers the three naves - a typically Breton feature - and even more so by the paintings that still adorn the vaults of the central nave and choir, fragile and precious evidence of a medieval iconography that has largely disappeared in the region. The rood screen is undoubtedly the building's greatest treasure. This stone screen separating the nave for the faithful from the choir reserved for the clergy is a masterpiece of Breton sculpture, with its finely carved arcatures and its two lateral canopies housing statues in the round. Very few rood screens in Brittany have survived the centuries, and the one at Saint-Yves belongs to the very select circle of irreplaceable pieces. Outside, the 1639 funeral chapel, which runs parallel to the west façade, offers a surprising synthesis: built in the 17th century in a resolutely 16th-century vocabulary, it bears witness to the persistence of the Renaissance style in Lower Brittany long after Paris had adopted Classicism. A visit to the complex takes on an intimate, almost timeless dimension, far removed from the crowds of large parish enclosures.
Architecture
Saint-Yves church is a three-aisled basilica with a late Gothic structure typical of the Léon region of Finistère. The absence of a stone vault in favour of a wooden panelled barrel vault - a common solution in Breton parish architecture - considerably lightened the construction and allowed for a very large roof structure. The walls of the nave, built from slate schist monoliths, have an austere, sober surface that contrasts with the preserved polychrome paintings on the central vault and in the choir, like illustrated bibles for a largely illiterate congregation. The rood screen is the most spectacular architectural feature. Supported by the pillars delimiting the choir, it consists of an openwork gallery surmounted by a cornice, and extends laterally into two sculpted canopies housing statues, probably of the apostles or patron saints. This liturgical device, which was gradually demolished in most French churches between the 17th and 19th centuries, has survived here in exceptional condition. The 1639 funeral chapel, adjoining and running parallel to the west facade, has a simple rectangular floor plan, with a facade décor that draws on the Renaissance repertoire: superimposed orders, niches and entablature mouldings. Despite its late date, it is a coherent, refined work that bears witness to the deliberate stylistic conservatism of the Breton patrons of the early 17th century.
Related Figures
Saint Yves de Tréguier (1253-1303) — saint patron de l'église, avocat des pauvres et figure tutélaire du Léon, dont le culte imprègne toute la dévotion paroissialeFamille de Rohan — seigneurs du Léon dont le mécénat artistique a vraisemblablement contribué au financement du jubé et des travaux gothiquesMaîtres tailleurs de pierre léonards (XVe-XVIe s.) — artisans anonymes de l'école sculptée bretonne à qui l'on doit le jubé et les décors intérieursFabrique de La Roche-Maurice (XVIIe s.) — commanditaire de la chapelle funéraire de 1639, expression de la piété des notables locauxInspecteurs des Monuments Historiques (1916) — agents de l'État à l'origine du classement qui a permis la sauvegarde de l'édifice
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Eglise Saint-Yves located?
Eglise Saint-Yves is located in La Roche-Maurice, Département 29 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Eglise Saint-Yves built?
Eglise Saint-Yves dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Eglise Saint-Yves open to visitors?
Eglise Saint-Yves is currently closed to visitors.
