St-Ronan (Locronan)

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Saint-Ronan Church
View from the east, on the left Chapelle du Pénity
Bell tower and roof turret, in the foreground Chapelle du Pénity

The Catholic Church of Saint-Ronan in Locronan , a municipality in the Finistère department in the French region of Brittany , was built in the 15th century in the Flamboyant Gothic style on the site of a Romanesque predecessor church. The church is dedicated to Saint Ronan of Locronan , a Breton hermit and saint whose bones are venerated in the Chapelle du Pénity (Pénity Chapel). The church has rich furnishings from the 15th and 16th centuries. In 1846, the church was added to the list of architectural monuments ( Base Mérimée ) in France as Monument historique .

history

In 1031, Alain Canhiart , Count of Cornouaille, founded a priory in Locronan on the site of the hermitage of Saint Ronan , which he made subordinate to the Benedictine abbey of Sainte-Croix in Quimperlé . The Romanesque priory church was the destination of a much-visited pilgrimage . The pilgrims hoped for the intercession of St. Ronan for a large number of descendants who would ensure the continued existence of their families. The Dukes of Brittany also visited Locronan and granted the place privileges and financial support for the rebuilding of the church, which took place between 1430 and 1480. At the end of the 15th and beginning of the 16th century, the Chapelle du Pénity (Pénity chapel) was added to the south side of the church , the name of which (Breton for hermitage ) recalls the place where Saint Ronan is said to have lived. The tomb of St. Ronan was placed in the chapel and was originally housed in the church in the monks' choir . Anne de Bretagne commissioned the construction of the chapel out of gratitude for the birth of her daughter Renée in 1510. The execution was entrusted to Pierre Le Goaraguer, who had also worked on the construction of the Saint-Corentin cathedral in Quimper .

architecture

Exterior construction

Vestibule and west portal

In the west, the nave is adjoined by the massive, over 30-meter-high bell tower, which is broken through on all four sides by two high, round-arched openings on the upper floor. It originally had a 68 meter high spire that collapsed after a lightning strike in 1808. The roof of the nave, which rises sharply towards the choir, is interrupted in the middle by a gable on which a roof turret sits.

Several steps lead to the vestibule on the west facade, to which a large round arch surrounded by archivolts opens. The vestibule is covered with a ribbed vault, on the side walls are brackets , over which a series of arcades with slender columns and three-pass arches run. The figures of the apostles, which are otherwise common in the vestibules in Brittany, are no longer preserved. On Trumeaupfeiler between the two doors, passes through you into the interior, stands on a pedestal granite figure of St. Ronan. Another portal with a smaller vestibule is located on the north side of the church, to which the sacristy is also attached, the dormer window of which is pierced by a window with flamboyant tracery .

inner space

inner space

The interior has three naves and is divided into seven bays . The north aisle is slightly wider than the south. The main nave and the two side aisles are covered by ribbed vaults. The main nave has no windows and is only illuminated through the windows of the side aisles. The front wall of the recently closed choir is broken through by a six-lane tracery window.

Passion window

Leaded glass window

Stained glass windows from the 15th and 16th centuries have been preserved in the church.

  • The six-lane choir window (window 0), the Passion Window , is dated between 1476 and 1479. Scenes of the Passion and Resurrection of Christ are depicted on 17 fields, the rightmost field of the lower row shows a member of the Nevet family, who contributed significantly to the financing of the church building.
  • The two-lane window (window 2) contains fragments from the 16th century. The mercy seat scene is dated around 1500. The apostle Peter can be seen on another pane, other panes probably come from a Wurzel Jesse window or an Adoration of the Magi .
  • Panes from the early 16th century have been preserved in the four-lane window (window 0) in the Chapelle du Pénity. On the two middle lancets, St. Catherine with her attribute , the sword, and the apostle Paul are shown. In the tracery you can see a crucifixion group.

  • Passion window

  • Mercy Seat and Apostle Peter

  • Window in the Chapelle du Pénity

Furnishing

Rosary altar

See also: List of Monuments historiques (objects) in the Church of St-Ronan

  • The rosary altar was created in 1668 by the sculptor Maurice Le Roux from Lannédern . The scene in which St. Dominic and St. Catherine of Siena receive the rosary from Mary is carved as a high relief. God the Father is enthroned with the globe above the scene, which is surrounded by 15 bas-reliefs depicting the secrets of the rosary. In the side niches, framed by richly decorated twisted columns, are the carved figures of St. Joseph (left) and St. Joachim (right).
pulpit
  • The pulpit is marked with the year 1707. It was made by Louis Bariou and his son-in-law Guillaume Le Poupon. The pulpit and the pulpit staircase are decorated with colored medallions framed in gold, on which scenes from the legend of St. Ronan are depicted. The sound cover is crowned by a gold-plated angel with a trumpet.
  • In the baptistery in the north aisle there is a baptismal font from the 15th century , consisting of two bowls, one smaller and one larger .
  • The figure of St. Christopher dates from the 16th century.
  • The figure of St. Rochus of Montpellier is marked with the year 1509 and has the signature "Guillimin".

  • Baptismal font from the 15th century

  • Saint Christopher

  • Saint Roch

Entombment group
  • The colored entombment group in the Pénity Chapel was created by an unknown master around 1500. Mary bends over the body of Jesus with folded hands, the apostle John supports his head. On the left, Joseph of Arimathea holds a sheet ready, on the right stands Nicodemus with the crown of thorns in his hands. Behind Mary Mary Magdalene is shown with her attribute , the ointment vessel. Like Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, she is dressed in a precious robe.
  • In the wall below there are two reliefs from the 15th / 16th centuries. Century. On the left is the scene Noli me tangere , in which Jesus appears after his resurrection to Mary Magdalene in the form of a gardener, on the right scene you can see the Emmaus disciples .
  • The wooden carved, colored Pietà is dated to the 16th century.
  • The figure of the Archangel Michael , who weighs souls, dates from the 15th century.

  • Reliefs

  • Pietà

  • archangel Michael

Tomb of saint ronan

Tomb of saint ronan

The grave with the reclining figure of Saint Ronan is made of kersantite . It was made in a Breton workshop during the reign of Duke John VI. (in France Johann V) (1389–1442) created whose coat of arms, like that of his wife Johanna of France (1391–1433), is carved at the foot of the table grave. The grave slab lies on the wings of six angels, who are represented as female figures with long, pleated robes and holding coats of arms. Two angels hold the pillow on which the saint's head rests. With his right hand he grips a preciously carved staff, with his left hand he seems to be blessing the visitors. A lion crouches at his feet, in whose mouth the saint's staff ends.

  • Tomb of saint ronan

  • Lion and crosier at the foot

  • Angel

literature

  • Brittany . (= Guides Bleus ). Hachette, Paris 1991, ISBN 2-01-015841-5 , pp. 460-461.
  • Le Patrimoine des Communes du Finistère . Volume 1, Flohic Éditions, Paris 1998, ISBN 2-84234-039-6 , pp. 188-190.
  • Bernard de Parades: Locronan . Éditions Jos, Châteaulin 2015, ISBN 978-2-85543-256-4 .
  • Françoise Gatouillat, Michel Hérold: Les vitraux de Bretagne . (= Corpus Vitrearum ). Volume VII, Presses Universitaires de Rennes, Rennes 2005, ISBN 2-7535-0151-3 , pp. 142-143.

Web links

Commons : Saint-Ronan (Locronan)  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Église Saint-Ronan Base Mérimée
  2. ^ Passion window Base Palissy
  3. ^ Rosary altar Base Palissy
  4. ↑ Saint Joseph, Saint Joachim, Madonna and Child Base Palissy
  5. ^ Pulpit Base Palissy
  6. ↑ Baptismal font Base Palissy
  7. ↑ Saint Roch of Montpellier Base Palissy
  8. ^ Entombment group Base Palissy
  9. ^ Reliefs Base Palissy
  10. ^ Pietà Base Palissy
  11. ↑ Archangel Michael Base Palissy
  12. ↑ Tomb of Saint Ronan Base Palissy

Coordinates: 48 ° 5 ′ 54 ″  N , 4 ° 12 ′ 29 ″  W.