Vault Notre-Dame de Châteaulin

the outside of the vault

One reaches the vault by a triumphal arch establishes in second half of XVe century. It is the entry in the field of deaths. A broader staircase was neighborly formerly that which remains. One discovers small a placître which dominates the superb landscape released well over the valley of the Alder and the hills which enchase the Basin of Châteaulin.

the ossuary

Attached to the vault in 1575, it was built in the style Louis XII in vogue at the time. It was used to store the withdrawn bones of the basement of the church and the cemetery. Engravings of the XIXe century show us many bones laid out between the columns.

the porch

It dates from the work undertaken in 1722 as the beautiful inscription engraved on the southern pinion indicates it: EC: TEMPLE: QUASI: RUIN E RED LESV I JAMET F LAN 1722.

It takes again the old elements which open on the enclosure and on the nave which go back to 1574. With the top of a traditional entablature skylights characteristic of the Breton Rebirth rise.

the martyrdom

Cut in the black granite of Kersanton, it is a curious and rare work. On the western face, Christ in cross is surrounded by Jean saint and the Virgin. On both sides, the two small drainage canals in cross supplement the scene.

The face exposed to the east is more astonishing. The scene represented is the last judgment. God of the judgment raises the arms in a sign of appeasing. He sat on a rainbow which leaves a cloud; its feet rest on a ball which represents the World. On her left, the virgin beseeches. On its line an angel sounds the trumpet of the judgment to the sound of which deaths ressuscitent. They are symbolized by three small naked characters who leave the ground. Two men in the center, a woman on the right. The streamer which overcomes the whole carries an inscription which to date is not completely deciphered: “GUARD… THAT IT WILL MAKE SELO (NR) ITS… JUGERA" (According to YP Manor house, to bring closer with the text to the streamer to the martyrdom to Argol: " Keep that it will make, the roy estant jugera" that one can translate into modern French: " Take guard so that it will make, that which is the king you jugera" ; a recall with the faithful Breton catholics that their true king is not Henri de Navarre, suspect in their eyes, but the Christ who will judge them). The martyrdom would be thus contemporary in Henri de Navarre who abjured Catholicism in 1576.

the bell-tower

Finances of the factory of Notre-Dame were rather healthy in 1753 to allow the repair of the bell-tower and its raising. The inscription on the southern part of the tower points out the names of the vice-chancellor and the factory: MRE JEAN TO SQUARE IT: ME ALAIN SANQUER: FAB: LAN 1753. The room of the bells is surmounted by a first alongside octagonal dome of two pinnacles, which is surmounted itself by a rather slim skylight.

interior of the vault

Three work campaigns will give to the vault the aspect that we know to him today.

There does not exist any trace of a building which was to perhaps exist as of XIe century. Primitive vault of the beginning of XIVe century, there remains colonnades in the style which one finds in Languidou in Plovan, and perhaps also this strange figure on a southern pillar.

In 1691, another countryside replaces the primitive flat bedside by a polygonal bedside. A sacristy will be added then removed thereafter at the time of the third countryside into 1722 which will stick especially to external work.

A complete restoration of the whole of the vault was carried out some ten years ago.

the retables

They as in many cases were ordered by brotherhoods very in vogue with 17th and XVIIIe centuries which enjoyed to embellish the furnace bridges of their patron saint.

The high altar is second half of the XVIIe century. Between the two twisted columns a painting on fabric represents the Annunciation. The furnace bridge of north is dedicated to Joseph saint. It was ordered from Louis Lanchou de Châteaulin in 1765.

The southern retable gathers several elements of different sources. It is dedicated to Notre-Dame of the Rosary. A table of the Valentine painter of very good invoice was bought with the church of Kergoat in Quéméneven which wished to get rid some. A low-relief represents Notre-Dame of the pains to the seven swords. In the top of a table representing a patient lying assisted of the Virgin. It is a homage to Notre-Dame of the Good Death.

falls It from Jeanne de Trésiguidy

On the right-sided of the chorus a granite tomb stone carries inscription “Ci TO LIE JOTHANE OF TREZIGUIDY VICONTESSE OF the FAOU”.

Jothane de Trésiguidy belonged to very old and noble Breton family whose member, Maurice de Trésiguidy took part courageously in the famous combat of the Thirty which saw to clash in 1351 thirty knights of the party of Blois (French) against thirty knights of the Monfort party (anglo-Breton) in the terrible war of succession of Brittany. Born on the grounds from Trésiguidy between Châteaulin and Pleyben, she was married with Morvan, Viscount of Faou, another powerful family of Low-Brittany. She died in 1324 and was buried in the vault of Notre Dame. The tomb was discovered during renovation work in 1860.

the table of Holy Crepin and Saint-Crépinien

This table restored in 1998, is the work of Jean Moign de Saint Renan. Ordered by the brotherhood of the shoe-makers and leather tanners of Châteaulin in 1664, it recalls the martyr of Saint Crepin and Saint Crépinien on eight cartouches. The two saints are represented in their workshop where are also painted fit them time. The giver and his wife are undoubtedly the characters located in bottom on the right.

Photograph gallery of the Notre-Dame vault of CHATEAULIN

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