Paris1972-Versailles2003

I had written a post on this town and church, but needed to come back on my road warrior mode and passed by with new pictures, time for a new post on Guillac in  my beautiful Morbihan dept 56 of my lovely Bretagne in my belle France. This is deep Morbihan inland away from the coasts. We road warrior all over but still lots to be seen here! Let me show you a bit more of the Church Saint Bertin of Guillac ! Hope you enjoy it as I

The town of Guillac is located in the north of Morbihan between Josselin and Ploërmel, about 58 km from my house, easy riding on the N24 expressway road,get off at its exit taking the D169 right into City center/downtown.

The parish Church Saint Bertin was built between 16-17C, rebuilt in 1860. The Church, as you see today is from the end of the 16C, and originally included only one nave flanked, on each side of the choir, a chapel opening on the sanctuary by a third-point arcade. In 1860, it was added a choir, which gave it the plan of a Latin cross. There are stained glass windows, and the crawly roof are decorated with crosses. The bell tower is covered with slate. The old stained glass disappeared during the construction of the choir. In the northern Chapel, a stained glass window depicts Saint Sosthène and Sainte Herminie ;donated at the end of the 19C by the owners of the Château de Josselin. The table titled “the donation of the Rosary” dates from the 17C, to the right of the Virgin and Child are women including Anne of Austria and St. Catherine of Siena, and on the left are men, including Louis XIII and St. Dominic. The Church housed a wooden statue of Saint Bertin from the 17C.

The parish Church Saint Bertin , dedicated to Saint Bertin, has the form of a Latin cross. It is in medium and small nave with ogival stained glass windows with flaming mullets. there are remnants of stained glass , representing the Apostles, with their names in Gothic letters. These remains of stained glass were replaced by other new stained glass windows, also representing the twelve Apostles, and in addition the child Jesus, the Blessed Virgin and Saint Bertin. In addition, the Church currently owns two other beautiful stained glass windows from 1831, one is at the window of the north Chapel, representing Saint Sosthène and Sainte Herminie ; the other is at the first window of the nave, representing Saint Louis, King of France, and Saint Yves.

During the construction of the Choir, the large glass roof, made up of 16 panels representing the Holy Family, St Bertin and the 12 apostles, was completely redone. In the north chapel, the stained glass window (1888) represents St Sosthène and St Hermine, and that at the top of the nave (1873), right side, represents St Louis and St Yves. All the other stained glass windows date from 1999. They symbolize the evangelization of all men of all nations. Above the altar of the Blessed Virgin, the painting “The Donation of the Rosary” is an oil on canvas dating of the 17C. You will see to the right of the Virgin and Child , the women including Anne of Austria and Saint Catherine of Siena, and to the left are the men, including Louis XIII and Saint Dominic. Currently, the bell tower of the church houses three bells. The big bell, of 1845 and weighing 780 kg, is called Françoise. Two other smaller bells ring la and do , they weigh respectively 340 kg and 220 kg, are named Bertine and Augustine.

Other interesting things to see in  Guillac are : The Saint-Bertin fountain built in 1665, following a wish that would have put an end to a plague in the parish. Built in stone, the fountain looks like an aedicule with a molded pediment, in the center of which is engraved the coat of arms of the Saint-Pern family. The abbey of Saint-Jean-des-Prés was founded around 1159 by Eon II viscount of Porhoët. It felled into commendation in 1507, and never succeeded in freeing itself from its commendatory abbots. 
La Colonne des Trente (the column of thirty) is located at a site called the Pyramid just outside town of Guillac. The first stone was laid on July 11, 1819. Its construction required 4 years of work and the granite obelisk was inaugurated on July 6, 1823. It was erected to salute the memory of the fighters who clashed during the Combat des Trente, (combat or battle of the thirty) March 26, 1351. But only the fighters of Charles de Blois’s party are honored by the monument. The succession crisis of the Duke of Brittany Jean III, in 1341, opposed Jean de Montfort and his English allies to his niece Jeanne de Penthièvre, supported by the crown and Charles de Blois. Following a challenge, thirty Franco-Breton knights and thirty Anglo-Breton knights clash in an endless battle. Brandebourch, the captain of the English was killed as well as eight of his companions. All the other surviving combatants, on both sides, were wounded.

The town of Guillac on the Church Saint Bertin: https://www.guillac.fr/index.php/tourisme-et-patrimoine/patrimoine/eglise-st-bertin

The Morbihan tourist board on Guillac: https://www.morbihan.com/guillac/guillac/tabid/12562/offreid/143253d0-ac60-46ce-9e02-8571efb2eab3

There you go folks, again, another passing to these off the beaten path towns of my beautiful Morbihan always something to see and appreciate the architecture and history of my lovely Bretagne and my belle France. Hope you enjoy the post on again the Church Saint Bertin of Guillac ! as I.

And remembre, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!