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Origin and history

The church of Notre-Dame de Runan, located in the Côtes-d'Armor in Brittany, is a religious building built between the late 14th and mid 16th centuries. It owes its existence to the protection of the Dukes of Brittany, in particular John IV and John V, as well as to the support of the Hospitallers of Saint John of Jerusalem, including the Commanderies of the Palacret and the Feuillée. These protectors financed various work campaigns, such as the bell tower-porch (1423), the seigneurial chapel, and the carved southern gate (1438), reflecting their influence in the decoration of the building.

The initial chapel, attested as early as 1381 under John IV, was enlarged thanks to the fairs granted by the Dukes, including John V in 1423. The latter also finances the master-glass, masterpiece of the Breton Gothic stained glass, decorated with the coat of arms of local and ducal donors. The Hospitallers, lords of the place, played a key role: Pierre de Keramborgne, commander, financed the renovation of the south side and the southern gate in 1438. The church, dependent on the parish of Plouëc until 1825, became a symbol of aristocratic and religious patronage.

The church architecture combines flamboyant Gothic elements and English influences, visible in the flat bedside and the glass mistress. The southern wall, along with gables, is an early example in Brittany. The furniture includes a gothic kerantite altarpiece, initially placed under the glass mistress, and a gissant attributed to Henri du Parc, seigneur of La Roche-Jagu. Ranked a Historic Monument in 1907, the church also preserves an outdoor ordeal and a Renaissance ossuary.

The restorations of the 19th and 20th centuries, such as that of 1895 (reconstruction of the northern collateral) or the protection of stained glass during the Second World War, preserved its integrity. The coat of arms hammered during the Revolution and the traces of donors (noble locals, Hospitallers, Dukes) bear witness to its turbulent history. Today, the church remains an exceptional testimony of Breton Gothic, mixing religious heritage, ducal power and influence of military orders.

The site of Runan, mentioned in 1182 in a charter of the Templars, passed to the Hospitallers in the 13th century. The chapel ducale, founded by John IV in 1381, became a place of pilgrimage thanks to fairs and pardons. The calvary and the outer pulpit, associated with the parish enclosures, underline its central role in medieval community life. Recent excavations and studies, such as Gildas Durand's on the altarpiece, have refined the understanding of its architectural evolution and its links with England.

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