I am hugely surprise not written a post on this wonderful square of my dear Vannes! I had mentioned it in some post briefly, but really it needs a post of its own. Therefore, new text and older pictures not yet in my blog, here is my bit on the Place Saint Pierre of Vannes !!!
The Place Saint Pierre square has a few old houses adjoining La Cohue (fine arts museum), opposite the St Peter’s Cathedral (see posts). La Cohue designating the old partly Romanesque halls, remains dating from the 16C. The ground floor was occupied by the stalls of merchants, mostly butchers and the first floor reserved for courts of law. The Parliament of Brittany sat there when it was exiled to Vannes. In the last century, a theater occupied the first floor which now houses the museum. At No. 9 Place Saint Pierre is one of the oldest houses in the city, recognizable by its many small windows, testimonies of civil architecture from the beginning of the 15C. Of course, the must visit in town is that here you have the Cathédrale Saint Pierre (see posts) or St Peter’s Cathedral built in the 13C-15-16C-19C.
This is of course a very old square located between the cathedral and the Cohue, bordered mainly by half-timbered houses and two important buildings facing each other and which give it the character of a square. In the ducal rentier of 1455-1458, it is called “placeix Saint Pere”. It is found referred to as a street on old city maps. It is joined to Place Henri IV (see post) by a narrow passage between two houses. The square is now clear of 3 houses which were attached to the west portal of the cathedral.
The house at 15 place Saint-Pierre 15C includes an undated elevation for the development of the attic, the framework of which shows a high room under the attic. The house is one of the rare examples of houses built almost entirely in half-timbered construction, visible here on three sides. It was subsequently the subject during the 4th quarter of the 20C of a restoration and very important works during its acquisition. by the city for the development of the Musée des Beaux Arts or Fine Arts Museum, also known as Cohue. The corbel brackets on the first floor are recent and of the polygonal base type with rings sculpted with faces, made after the one in place in the room on the ground floor. The base of the house retains two old corner posts.
The house at 2 place Saint-Pierre 16C is a wooden house with overhanging floors. Beautiful sculpted beam between the first and second floors. The second floor almost forms the bridge with that of the house at the other corner of the square.
The house at 7 place Saint-Pierre was built on the edge of the Cohue from which it is separated by an alley. Its facade framework shows that it has retained a first floor from the 15C. This one also shows the remains of the small windows that once ran along the facade. It shows alterations by its second Renaissance wall in the basement and an elevation in the 19C. The place is occupied in the rentier of the ducal domain in 1455.
This is a must to walk it while near or in Vannes, the place Saint Pierre is gorgeous and we always walk by it when in town; which is at least weekly.
The City of Vannes on its heritage : https://www.mairie-vannes.fr/lieux-remarquables
The Gulf of Morbihan tourist office on Vannes :https://www.golfedumorbihan.co.uk/explore/meet-the-exceptionnal/visit-vannes/
There you go folks, feel better now, to show this gem of my capital city of Vannes. It is as said, a must to visit and you will be glad, the looks at it are awesome, full of wonderful architecture and history of this fine city. Hope you enjoy the post on the place Saint Pierre and do visit it
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
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