Temple romano-celtique heptagonal
MonumentHidden Treasure
Temple romano-celtique heptagonal, located in Comblessac (Département 35), is a historic monument. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Location
- Comblessac, Département 35, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 47.8455, -2.0997
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00090535
A rare heptagonal fanum from the Gallo-Roman era, this Comblessac temple defies convention with its seven-sided plan, an exceptional example of Romano-Celtic religiosity in Armorican Brittany.
History
In the heart of inland Brittany, in Comblessac, lies one of the most unusual religious remains of Roman Gaul: a heptagonal fanum, whose rare architectural layout makes it one of the most unusual sacred buildings in France. Whereas the vast majority of Roman-Celtic temples are square or circular in shape, the Comblessac temple is built around a seven-sided layout, a geometric challenge that will appeal to archaeologists and heritage enthusiasts alike. The fanum, the Latin term for the double-enclosed sanctuaries characteristic of Gallo-Roman religion, is based here on a spatial logic inherited from Celtic traditions. The central cella - the sacred space reserved for the deity - is surrounded by a gallery, the porticus, allowing the faithful to walk ritually around the divine nucleus without entering it. This concentric organisation, adapted here to seven sides, gives the building an unusual architectural and cultic personality. To visit the Comblessac site is to plunge into the silent depths of the Romanisation of Armorique. The remains on the ground still reveal, to the trained eye, the layout of the foundations and the organisation of the liturgical spaces. The rural, unspoilt atmosphere of the Breton bocage adds an almost mysterious dimension to the walk, inviting you to imagine processions, offerings and incense smoke rising up towards a deity who is now anonymous. Listed as a historic monument since 1978, the heptagonal fanum at Comblessac is part of a network of Gallo-Roman sanctuaries scattered across the Armorican peninsula, illustrating the religious vitality of a region long perceived as peripheral to the Roman Empire. This discreet but fundamental monument deserves special attention from all those who wish to grasp the complexity of religious syncretism between the Roman world and Celtic traditions.
Architecture
The Comblessac fanum belongs to the large family of Romano-Celtic temples, an architectural type specific to Gaul and island Brittany, with no direct equivalent in classical Mediterranean architecture. Its most striking feature is its heptagonal plan - with seven sides - an absolute singularity in the repertoire of fanums found in France, where square, rectangular or octagonal plans predominate. Like all fanums, the building consists of a central cella, the sacred core housing the image or attribute of the deity, surrounded by a gallery (porticus) that reproduces the heptagonal layout on a larger scale. This double concentric envelope creates a gradation in the sacredness of the space, from the profane to the divine, characteristic of Gallo-Roman theology. The walls of the cella, which are considerably higher than those of the porticus, allow the interior sanctuary to be lit from above, giving the space a luminosity conducive to contemplation. The materials used are those traditionally used in Gallo-Roman construction in Armorica: local granite and sandstone rubble, bonded with lime, with ashlar quoins. The roof of the porticus, probably with a single slope leaning against the cella walls, was covered with tegulae and imbrices - Roman flat and round tiles. The dimensions were modest, in keeping with the norm for rural fanums: a few dozen square metres for the cella, and an outer enclosure delimiting the temenos, the sacred space separate from the secular world.
Related Figures
Iulius Rufus (nom hypothétique d'un notable redone) — commanditaire probable du sanctuaire, issu de l'aristocratie indigène romanisée du Ier siècleJules César — dont la conquête de la Gaule (58-51 av. J.-C.) rendit possible la romanisation religieuse de l'ArmoriqueThéodose Ier — dont l'édit de Thessalonique (380 ap. J.-C.) condamna les cultes païens et précipita l'abandon du fanumLes Redones — peuple gaulois armoricain dont le territoire englobait Comblessac, acteurs de la synthèse romano-celtique illustrée par ce temple
Tags
Nearby castles
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Temple romano-celtique heptagonal located?
Temple romano-celtique heptagonal is located in Comblessac, Département 35 department, Bretagne region, France.
Is Temple romano-celtique heptagonal open to visitors?
Temple romano-celtique heptagonal is currently closed to visitors.
