This way country of my lovely Bretagne, we have road warrior trips all over and passing by the picturesque town of Guimiliau we were impressed by the enclosure that is something to come to see, a must. I found an old paper picture and even if a bit blurry will allow me to bring to memory this wonderful visit ,whichh should be follow up. In the meantime, enjoy the church, enclos paroissal and tombs Calvary of Guimiliau !!!
The town of Guimiliau is located in the Finistère department 29, in my lovely Bretagne, and my belle France. The town is around 120 meters above sea level, and it is close to the Regional Natural Park of Armorique located 9 km further south. A bit of old history tell us of the Roman road from Vorgium (Carhaix) to Aber-Wrac’h passed through Poullaouen, Locmaria-Berrien, Berrien, then crossed the towns of Plounéour-Ménez, Guimiliau and Lampaul-Guimiliau, then passing south-west of Landivisiau . From the 15C, Guimiliau became the geographical center of linen activity which would bring about the opulence of the region ; it has been long ,also a country of tannery, horse breeding and beekeeping.
No rural town in Finistère offers so many architectural beauties triumphal arch entering cemetery, bell tower, porch, ossuary, Calvary, sacristy, and, inside, furniture of unparalleled richness: altars, pulpit preach, tribune and organ buffet, baptistery. Breton art, so refined and so fertile at the end of the 16C and during the course of the 17C, lavished its masterpieces there, One of the most remarkable parish enclosures with its Calvary of 200 figures, This alone is worth the detour to this town.
The Triumphal Gate or Arc de Triomphe which in Breton was called Porz ar maro, literally “gate of death”, because it gave access to the cemetery located in the parish enclosure. It is surmounted by two riders and was usually closed by a gate open only during weddings and funerals. The Calvary, in blue granite, built between 1581 and 1586, surmounted by a Cross of Jesus and the two thieves, the barrel bearing the Cross having as often in armor the appearance of a delimbed tree trunk, called cross plague; the rest of the Calvary represents in bas-relief the various episodes of the Life of Christ, including the Birth of Christ, the Adoration of the Magi, the Carrying of the Cross, the Entombment, the Resurrection, etc. as well as Catel Collet thrown into hell by the devils for stealing a host and giving it to the devil, and a statue of Saint Miliau. The 80 characters represented are decked out in 16C costumes, contemporary with the date of construction of the Calvary, but in a style that seems more Spanish than French, which would be explained by the presence of Spaniards in Brittany at the time due to the League Wars. The Calvary of Guimiliau is the most populated of all ! Indeed beautiful !!
Other things to see in Guimiliau , me think , are the Saint-Miliau Church, dedicated to Saint Miliau, mixes the Flamboyant and Renaissance styles, The Saint-Miliau fountain located on the edge of the town of Lampaul-Guimiliau dates from the 17C; Saint Miliau is represented there as King of Cornouaille (Cornwall).
The city of Guimiliau and its heritage : https://guimiliau.fr/category/decouvrez-guimiliau/
The official 7 Calvaries of Bretagne on Guimiliau : http://www.7calvaires.fr/en/guimiliau/
The Parish Close Interpretation Centre of the Calvaries and enclosures of Bretagne on Guimiliau : https://www.ciap-enclos.fr/en/enclos/guimiliau/
There you go folks, another dandy in my lovely Bretagne. There is loads of beautiful things to see here, and I am just starting !!! Hope you enjoy the enclosure Calvary of Guimiliau, a treasure of our times.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
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