Prieuré de Landugen
AbbeyHidden Treasure
Prieuré de Landugen, located in Duault (Département 22), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- Abbey
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Duault, Département 22, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.3667, -3.4538
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00089142
Nestling on the moors of the Kreiz-Breizh region, Landugen priory's sober 16th-century architecture stands amidst the ferns of the Côtes-d'Armor region, a rare testimony to preserved Breton monastic life.
History
Landugen priory is set in the deep landscape of Kreiz-Breizh, inland Brittany, with its wooded hills and silent moors that form the mysterious hinterland of the Côtes-d'Armor département. The commune of Duault, a small parish on the edge of the Monts d'Arrée, is home to one of those discreet monastic buildings that Brittany knows so well how to keep secret, far from the beaten tourist track. The first thing that strikes you about Landugen is the harmony between the stone and the site. The priory buildings, built in the 16th century in accordance with the canons of Breton religious architecture of the Renaissance, blend into a dense, almost untamed environment. The dark local granite, cut with care, lends the ensemble a dignified and sober austerity, far removed from the flamboyant Gothic exuberance that characterised previous decades. Visitors who take the time to get closer will discover precious architectural details: moulded window frames, doors with crossettes or braces inherited from the late Gothic vocabulary, and the Breton way of decorating lintels with discreet geometric motifs. The whole exudes a serenity that only places long inhabited by prayer can preserve. The fact that this priory has been protected as a Historic Monument since 1926 is testament to its recognised heritage value, which is extremely rare in an area where many similar religious establishments disappeared during the Revolution or collapsed over time. Landugen is one of the essential milestones in understanding monastic settlement in Argoat, Brittany's woodlands. The visit is particularly suited to lovers of little-known rural heritage and photographers in search of authentic atmospheres. The bocage setting, the dry stone walls and the almost absolute silence of the surroundings make for an experience that goes beyond mere architectural observation to touch on something deeper and more intimate.
Architecture
Landugen Priory is a perfect example of the style of Breton religious architecture of the 16th century, characterised by a transition between late Gothic and early Renaissance styles. The walls are built of local granite, a material that is omnipresent in the Kreiz-Breizh region, whose bluish-grey hue absorbs the light from the overcast skies of the interior with a particular mineral elegance. The carefully-cut range stones and window surrounds contrast with the more rustic style of the wall infill. The openings bear witness to the flamboyant Gothic vocabulary in the process of being transformed: lintels with brackets or crossettes, typical of 16th-century Brittany, sit alongside mullioned windows whose moulded profiles are timidly inspired by the new fashions coming from Italy via the royal building sites on the Loire. The prioral chapel, the central feature of any monastic establishment of this type, would have had a canted chevet or polygonal apse, typical of regional production. The general layout follows the functional logic of small Benedictine or Augustinian priories: a chapel open to the outside world for the faithful, cloistered buildings organised around an enclosed space, and agricultural outbuildings attesting to the establishment's productive vocation. The roofs, probably made of Anjou or Châteaulin slate in accordance with local practices, give the complex an austere yet harmonious character, perfectly suited to the surrounding hedged farmland.
Related Figures
Moines fondateurs du XVIe siècle, vraisemblablement issus d'une abbaye mère bretonne non identifiéeSeigneurs locaux bienfaiteurs ayant financé la reconstruction du XVIe sièclePrieur en charge lors de la Révolution française, contraint à la dispersion de la communauté vers 1790Inspecteur des Monuments Historiques ayant instruit le dossier de protection de 1926Paroissiens de Duault ayant entretenu le souvenir et les vestiges du prieuré jusqu'à sa protection officielle
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Prieuré de Landugen located?
Prieuré de Landugen is located in Duault, Département 22 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Prieuré de Landugen built?
Prieuré de Landugen dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Prieuré de Landugen open to visitors?
Prieuré de Landugen is currently closed to visitors.
