Maison du 16e siècle, dite des "Treize Lunes"
MonumentHidden Treasure
Maison du 16e siècle, dite des "Treize Lunes", located in Landerneau (Département 29), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Landerneau, Département 29, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.4491, -4.2496
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00090036
A Renaissance jewel in Landerneau, the Maison des Treize Lunes is fascinating for its frieze of solid moons and its staircase with superimposed galleries combining Gothic and Renaissance styles, carved in Logonna stone.
History
In the heart of Landerneau, a market town in Finistère whose inhabited bridge is one of Brittany's major curiosities, the House of the Thirteen Moons stands out as one of the finest examples of Breton civil architecture from the late 16th century. Its name, as poetic as it is intriguing, owes nothing to chance: a frieze of solid moons carves the upper storey of the façade, offering passers-by a celestial décor as rare as it is bewitching in the region's domestic architecture. What makes this building truly exceptional is the subtle coexistence of two architectural worlds. The staircase with its superimposed galleries, the backbone of the residence, features a sculpted décor in which the late Gothic repertoire is in dialogue with the Renaissance vocabulary just imported from Italy and the Loire. This stylistic hybridity, far from being a flaw, bears witness to a Breton craftsman who was a perfect master of his art, capable of assimilating new fashions without denying tradition. The interior is full of surprises: the central room, once covered by a panelled roof, houses a monumental fireplace with sculptures of figures and the coat of arms of the patron. A stone washbasin completes the picture of domestic luxury, typical of the Breton nobility of the Renaissance. The discreet half-timbering is confined to the side walls of this room, while the entire building is made of Logonna ashlar, a local material with a beautiful bluish grain that Finistère masons mastered to perfection. The Thirteen Moons house belongs to the large family of houses known as "pondalez", an architectural type specific to Léon and coastal Brittany, characterised by its external galleries serving the upper floors. This layout, inherited from a Mediterranean tradition reinterpreted in Breton style, gives these homes an instantly recognisable silhouette. Listed as a Historic Monument in 2005, the Maison des Treize Lunes is now one of the jewels in the crown of Landerne's heritage, and a must-see on any visit to the Landerneau-Daoulas region.
Architecture
The House of the Thirteen Moons is an accomplished example of the "pondalez" house, an architectural type typical of the Léon region of Brittany, characterised by arcaded galleries serving the upper levels from the outside. The floor plan distributes the space symmetrically on either side of a central hall, flanked by a room on each side, in a tripartite pattern common to Breton Renaissance bourgeois and noble homes. However, the front and rear parts of the building are noticeably asymmetrical, reflecting the constraints of the terrain and the pragmatic adaptations made by the builders. The entire building is made of Logonna ashlar, a bluish limestone quarried on the edge of Crozon, highly prized by Finistère workshops for its quality and ease of cutting. The timber framing is strictly limited to the side walls of the central hall, a sober structure that reinforces the impression of solidity and permanence of the building. The facade is punctuated by a frieze of sculpted solid moons running along the entablature, a decorative element that is unique in the region. The staircase with its superposed galleries is the centrepiece of the circulation system: its sculpted decoration skilfully blends late Gothic motifs - pinnacles, braced arches - with Renaissance ornaments such as pilasters, medallions and foliage, demonstrating a perfectly executed stylistic transition. Inside, the central hall is particularly striking, with its monumental fireplace carved with human figures and the Cabon family coat of arms. A stone washbasin, a detail of domestic comfort revealing the status of the patron, completes the equipment in the main room. The panelled ceiling that once covered this room belongs to the great tradition of Breton ceilings, where the carved wood expresses the care taken with the spaces of representation.
Related Figures
Cabon — noble breton commanditaire de la maison, fin XVIe siècle, auteur de la dérogeance à l'origine de la construction de l'aubergeLes tailleurs de pierre de Logonna — artisans anonymes finistériens auteurs de la façade et du décor sculptéLes sculpteurs de l'escalier — maîtres d'œuvre inconnus maîtrisant à la fois le répertoire gothique et renaissant
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Maison du 16e siècle, dite des "Treize Lunes" located?
Maison du 16e siècle, dite des "Treize Lunes" is located in Landerneau, Département 29 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Maison du 16e siècle, dite des "Treize Lunes" built?
Maison du 16e siècle, dite des "Treize Lunes" dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Maison du 16e siècle, dite des "Treize Lunes" open to visitors?
Maison du 16e siècle, dite des "Treize Lunes" is currently closed to visitors.