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Origin and history

The cross of Kermarker is a cross of crossroads located at the place called Kermarker, in the commune of Ploemel (Morbihan, Brittany). Built between the 17th and 18th centuries, it is distinguished by its granite architecture, including a four-degree perron, a masonry base, a polygonal base and a two-part barrel. The west face presents a Christ on a cross, while the reverse bears a Pietà in high relief. At the base of the barrel, an effigy at the foot of a priest holding a chalice suggests a connection with his sponsor, probably a local clergyman.

Ranked a historic monument on March 20, 1934, this cross illustrates Breton religious art of the modern era. According to Abbé Le Tallec, it may have been commissioned by Guillaume Madec, parish priest of Ploemel from 1633 to 1642, although the style of the carved chalice rather evokes the sixteenth century. Restored in 1898 by François Douarin and Pierre Tallec, it also bears witness to the practices of preserving local heritage in the 19th century.

Located on the edge of the Erdeven road, the Kermarker cross is part of a herbu placister landscape, typical of the Breton crosses marking the crossroads or parish boundaries. His iconography, mixing crucifixion and Virgin of pity, reflects the popular devotions of the Ancien Régime Brittany, where these monuments served both as spiritual landmarks and territorial marks.

Sources indicate an approximate location (diagnostic accuracy considered "passible") and a departmental property. The cross, although not cadastral, remains a remarkable example of rural Christian architecture, combined with local artisanal stone traditions.

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