History of Saint-Malo

The history of Saint-Malo goes back to Antiquity, where this area corresponds to the old maritime center of the Gallic people of the Coriosolites, installed with the Cité of Aleth (current Saint-Servan). Under the influence of the Romans, the town of Corseul, in the grounds, develops at the expense of the Cité of Aleth. Aleth remains an important port and, at the end of the 3rd century, the Romans choose to strengthen it. At that time, vis-a-vis Aleth, the island of future Saint-Malo is still uninhabited.

During the withdrawal of the Roman army towards 420, Aleth undergoes many attacks come from North. It is then that Saint Maclou, coming from the area of current the Wales, is installed on the rock which will take the name of rock of St Malo into 541. Aleth continues to develop until the end of the millenium when, after several attacks of Norman, the city is durably weakened. In the middle of the 12th century, the diocese of Aleth is moved on the rock of Saint-Malo, but it is not known if the arrival of the bishop precedes or follows the first urbanization of Saint-Malo. This event marks nevertheless the end of the size of Aleth. From now on, the strategic position of the port is the object of conflicts between the Brittany and the France. After a short passage to the hands of king de France at the beginning of the 15th century, Saint-Malo in 1493 is definitively annexed of the Brittany in France.

It is with the discovery of Americas and the development of the exchanges with the Indies that Saint-Malo takes its take-off and grows rich considerably. The city will proclaim even during four years its independence. The Armateur S become more numerous and of the characters of this time make the fame of the city, Jacques Cartier discovers the Canada, the Corsaire S badger the merchant and military navy, such Duguay-Trouin, then a little later Surcouf. Others are illustrated in science, such Maupertuis, or in the letters and the policy like Chateaubriand. The ship-owners are made build particular residences called Malouinière S.

The apogee of Saint-Malo finishes with the French revolution which does not save it. Saint-Malo then continues to develop fishing, in particular for Newfoundland. With the end of 19th and the 20th century, Saint-Malo develops tourism, in particular thanks to its beaches. At the time of the Second world war, Saint-Malo is particularly touched, the city is devastated by the American bombardments in 1944. Almost entirely rebuilt with the original after the war, Saint-Malo is from now on an important estival tourist center, pleasure and fishing port.

Antiquity

Reginca (Gallic name at the origin of that of Rancid ), located at the site of modern Saint-Servan (Quoted of Aleth) to the mouth of Rancid, was the principal maritime center of the Coriosolites. These Armorican people extended his control on an active territory of bay of Saint-Brieuc to the bay of the Mount Saint-Michel and following to the south the course of the Oust and the Vilaine. He took part in several Gallic alliances antiromaines into 56 and 52 av. JC, without success.

To control them and avoid the bonds transmanche with the Breton people combined with Gallic, the Romans imposed on Coriosolites a capital in the grounds, with Corseul. Fire puts an end essentially to occupation of site of Alet (except for the essential port activities which is maintained), with the profit of the news Corseul/Fanum Martis. At the end of the 3rd century, the general insecurity as a Gaulle and especially on the English Channel carried out the imperial administration to strengthen the port of Alet, which profited from an advantageous situation in overhang of 35 meters above the sea level and forming towards the interior of Rancid well sheltered handle (the current Solidor port). At the end of the 4th century (about year 368?), one of two quarterings of the legion of the " Martenses" joined Alet (the other being into Germanic with Altrip), according to the Notitia dignitatum. A military prefect ordered there around 300 legionaries. Corseul remained however the administrative chief town of the city of Coriosolites. Alet was then the Armorican main port of the English Channel between Brest and Cotentin. Many archaeological traces, whose portions of rise in the walls of the 3rd century, attest some still nowadays.

At the same time, future Saint-Malo was only one uninhabited small island, if not by some fishermen.

The following the example of Breton, the Armorican ones are released from the Roman administration towards 420, at the beginning of the Martense S. Alet is depopulated then strongly, because of this departure and of the incursions of pirates Frisons and Saxon whom it made easier. It is at this time that is placed the Breton immigration, which would have been done on a coast depopulated according to the vitae of the Breton saints. This massive immigration changed the ethnic and linguistic composition city of Coriosolites, mixing Bretons and Gallo-Romans. It disturbed the organization of the Gallo-Roman cities so much so that there was not at the 5th century of évêché at the Coriosolites and the Osismes whereas it had been created by it at the Vénètes with Vannes, the Namnètes with Nantes and the Redones (or Riedones) with Rennes.

Early middle ages

The vita Latin of St Malo ( MacLeod , Maclaw or Maclou ), made up about year 870 by the Bili deacon with Alet, the fact of being born about year 510 with Llancarfan in the Breton kingdom from Gwent (in the south of current the Wales). Godson and disciple of St Brendan, it followed it in its legendary voyages to the Fortunées islands. Accompanying the Breton migration by Large towards Small Brittany, it unloaded in Cézembre (then outer harbor of Alet) then joined towards 538 the Breton hermit Aaron on the rock on which this one had been withdrawn with the shelter of temptations of the world. This small island called Canalch ( Canalchius insulae ) or rock of Aaron , became the rock of St Malo with died of St Aaron into 541. Malo would then have left it to join the city of Alet to a few hundred meters from there. He would have been elected by it bishop into 590. But entered in conflict with Aletins, Malo left the city for Saintes where he died one November 15th about year 621. Its relics were relocated into 672 with the cathedral of Alet and the hermitage of St-Aaron. During the invasion Norman at the 10th century, they were transported to Paris then with Montreuil-sur-Mer before being dispersed.

Historically, an episcopal see is attested in Alet only at the 8th century, with the bishops Haelocar, Ermor, Iarnwalt, Maen, Salocon, Rethwalatr, Ratuili… These names all, Breton, indicate that Alet is then in Breton-speaking zone.

In 575, the prince domnonéen Judual would have rebuilt Alet. At the end of the 7th century, the Breton chief Cadgualon came to seek assistance against the Saxon ones there, testifying to the importance of the city at that time. At the 12th century, the Arab geographer Ibrahim B' Ya' Qub speaks about the port of " krmalh" , which indicates to us that the name of " Ker Malo" started to replace that of Alet. The city is however named in various texts " Quidalet" , contraction of " Civit (ace) Alet". The Norman attacks of 878,919,931 and 963 ruined the city durably, as attests some the Crude novel.

The Middle Ages

Was this for this reason that the last bishop of Alet Jean de Châtillon, known as Jean of the Grid , transferred the seat from the diocese of Alet towards the island of Saint-Malo between 1146 and 1152? In any case, it found there the church which the monks Benedictines had built there and theirs took. It is not known if the arrival of the bishop precedes or follows the first urbanization of Saint-Malo. Alet lost much with this transfer. It became a district of Saint-Servan. The ruins of its cathedral are still visible, in the City.

The évêché of Saint-Malo was one of the “évêchés nine” of Brittany.

Its strategic position made of it an object of conflict between the Brittany and the France. In 1394, the pope Clément VII yields the city to the king de France Charles VI. 1415 sees the return of Saint-Malo to Brittany. It was annexed definitively in 1493 by Charles VIII.

The time of the corsairs and the explorers

It is with the discovery of Americas and the development of the exchanges with the Indies that Saint-Malo takes its take-off and grows rich considerably. The city will proclaim even the March 11th 1590 and during four years its independence under the name of the République of Saint-Malo. The Armateur S become more numerous and of the characters of this time make the fame of the city, Jacques Cartier discovers the Canada, the Corsaire S badger the merchant and military navy, such Duguay-Trouin, then a little later Surcouf. Others are illustrated in science, such Maupertuis, or in the letters and the policy like Chateaubriand. The ship-owners are made build particular residences called Malouinière S.

In 1601, the Company of the merchants of Saint-Malo, Laval and Vitré arms two ships, the Corbin and the Growing , which makes a long stopover in bay of Saint Augustin with Madagascar (see relation of François Pyrard).

Made of Trade and War of race

the Falkland Islands (South Atlantic, off Argentina) were called thus in the honor of the many crews of Saint-Malo which made stopover there before the passage of Cape Horn towards the Pacific.
Saint-Malo was a port active Corsaire, specialized in the war of race against the English vessels and Dutch which crossed in Handle.

Revolts of 1675: this city is quoted to have taken part in the Révolte of the stamped paper which has occurred in 1675.

Old mode and Revolution

The Revolution marked Saint-Malo, since after the passage of the disaster Carrier in August 1793, arrives in December, Jean-Baptiste Carpentier, haloed its defense of Granville against the catholic and royal Vendean army. The envoy of Convention will make reign terror with " Port-Malo" whose streets, places and doors are renamed. The guillotine will function and on the whole 300 people lost their head of his fact, in Saint-Malo or Paris. The 1st ventôse of year II (February 19th 1794), it enjoint with the administrators of the District to press the mayor Mill to disencumber the cathedral, become " Temple of Raison" , of the " attributes of the fanatisme" that one still sees there. The building was allocated for removal of materials after demolition. Carpentier, large hunter of priests, sworn in or not, and provider of prisoners for the " Mount-Libre" , under the Restoration in 1820, will be caught up with by its past and will be condemned to the prison with the become again Mount " Saint-Michel", there will sing the praises of the royal family and will answer like being used for the mass every morning!

Modern history

First town of France having developed a center pioneer of Thalassotherapy ( marine thermal baths , care based on the administration of sea water baths in various forms) and accommodating several lines of ferries towards England and the Channel Islands, Saint-Malo saw much of its port and tourism throughout the year.

The Mount-Saint-Michel very near in fact a port of arrival to explore the area (Trains TGV at three hours of Paris | Steamers of cruising).

Destruction of the old city of Saint-Malo

In August 1944, the American columns moving towards Brest to destroy the underwater base of it were bombarded by German artillery of Saint-Malo.

Decided not to risk the life of their servant boys , pressed to finish some with the " Holy Festung Malo " for ruer on Brest, scalded by the many losses wiped a few days earlier on other bank of Rancid, the Americans draw on suspicion on the historical city with incendiary bombs with phosphorus, and this although the German garrison which stationed barrel there very reduced (70 men, assigned to the DCA) and that the American army was informed by it by local Resistance. Emptied its inhabitants a few times earlier, on German order, Saint-Malo was almost completely devastated by the fires which followed the shootings (80% of the pieces of furniture, buildings, files, goods personal).

Foot-note Bucket : a version popularized immediately claims that this destruction would have been due to the fact that, the resistant ones having warned the Americans whom the Germans were held in their bunkers of Cézembre (the name of an island to broad) and City (the name of a district of Saint-Servan strengthened by the Germans), the Americans grew that the word " Cité" the heart of the English " city indicated (; the city") corsair, therefore historical Saint-Malo, and bombarded it consequently.

History of the rebuilding of Saint-Malo

Saint-Malo was almost entirely rebuilt according to a plan close to original (except some tributes with the motor vehicle traffic and healthiness) under the impulse to its mayor Guy the Room (Inhabitant of Saint Malo and former minister of State), of the architects Louis Arretche and Raymond Cornon, of its inhabitants, the ministry for the Rebuilding and thanks to many gifts come from the Quebec, over one 12 years period (1948-1960).

We owe the foregrounds of the rebuilding of intramural Saint-Malo with Marc Brillaud de Laujardière (Grand Prix of Rome).

The question was then: is it necessary to give again with intramurally its functions of the past? (center administrative, hospital, school and commercial). However, it is impossible to restore the old streets in such a context (difficult case of rebuilding).

In December 1944, Marc Brillaud proposes a plan which modifies urban fabric completely and envisages several large openings, in particular those which unite the doors with the cathedral. The administrative buildings are gathered around the cathedral; in addition, it modifies the streets which it widens up to 8 m and evacuates the hospital out of intramural then it provides a first draft for the frontages of the buildings, their height limits on three floors plus a livable roof in the roofs. The frontages are of a very sober style which avoids the pastiche of the historical styles. The whole of this device is validated in 1946 and is approved by the ministry.

At this time, the things will trail because of the situation of the country. Blow, the polemic settles and, in February 1947, the association of the disaster victims of Saint-Malo claims a style inhabitant of Saint Malo while asserting that this style must be harmonized with what remains past (ramparts and castle) and must adapt to the modern life. The disaster victims dispute in particular the policy of the MH (Historic buildings) and ask so that the commercial wood frontages be authorized in intramurally.

At this period, Marc Brillaud leaves Saint-Malo because it is called by the ministry with other functions in Caen. It will be replaced by Raymond Puthomme who will not manage to assert himself. The Inhabitants of Saint Malo ask that the rebuilding be entrusted to Yves Hémar, an architect inhabitant of Saint Malo known for the construction of balneal villas; however, it is not retained for the totality of work. One will prefer Louis Arretche to him, (Grand Prix of Rome), important architect of the post-war period. Louis Arretche will take again the drafts of Marc Brillaud while specifying: “the success of the rebuilding depends above all on the profile and the aspect on the four maritime and harbor frontages on the city” on Saint-Malo, rare city French which can be discovered of the same glance and on all the sides. “To firstly restore the four large frontages of the city in order to give him its former silhouette and to determine the gauge of the vessel…” Arretche will preserve the profiles of the cathedral, of the castle… according to the will of Raymond Cornon. These are the buildings which fix the main lines of overall volume. Inside, the rebuilding of the buildings will be marked by a much greater freedom. The town hall is in the castle, the Hospital and the prison out of the walls, which releases a large surface on the ground. Arretche widens the streets, re-allocates the trade and envisages a height higher on three floors (5 or 6 levels). It will use the closed small island (block of houses with interior court). The frontages of the buildings are built without sumptuary elements while exploiting only the setback with, exceptionally, of the terraces to protect the trade. The slope of the roofs will be with 50 and 60°; the choice of imposed materials will be granite and slate without forgetting the rough concrete of dismantling…

In July 1948, the city is decorated with the Légion of honor and the Military Cross 1939-1945. One finds these decorations on the armorial bearings of the city.

Notes and references of the article

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