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Origin and history

The Calvary of Plougastel-Daoulas, located in the village of Plougastel-Daoulas (Finistère, Bretagne), was built between 1602 and 1604 as an ex-voto to mark the end of the plague epidemic of 1598, which had decimated a third of the local population. According to tradition, the seigneur of Kererault, who died on 27 September 1598, would have made the wish to erect this ordeal if he was the last victim of the epidemic. The monument, 10 meters high, consists of an octagonal base in yellow microdiorite and 182 stone statues of Kersanton, illustrating biblical and legendary scenes.

The construction took place in three stages: completion of the base in 1602, laying of the three crosses in 1603, and finalization of the statuary in 1604. The Calvary, classified as a historical monument in 1889, follows a complex iconographic pattern organized according to the cardinal points, with themes such as birth, suffering, Passover and resurrection. It is inspired by Guimilieu's calvary, but it is distinguished by a less linear distribution of the scenes, mixing anachronisms (like bragou-braz peasants) and contemplation.

Damaged during the American bombings of 1944, the calvary was restored by the intervention of John D. Skillon, an American and conservative museum officer, who created a restoration fund in the United States. The works, led by sculptor Millet in 1949, saved the scattered statues and fragments. A second restoration took place between 2003 and 2004, including the cleaning of the base and the repair of the stones. The monument remains a symbol of Breton devotion, with scenes like Katel Kollet or the Passion of Christ, read in the opposite direction of the hands of a watch.

The calvary also includes votive elements related to the plague, such as the drums of the crosses covered with nodules, or the statues of patron saints (Roch, Sebastian). The central platform, accessible by a 14-step staircase, once served as a preaching venue. The three main crosses represent Christ between the two larrons, surrounded by angels and demons, while scenes like the Resurrection or Hell (with its medieval mouth) complete the iconography.

Ranked among the seven great calvaries of Brittany, this monument illustrates the Breton religious art of the seventeenth century, combining local know-how (Kersanton stone) and complex symbolism. Its history also reflects the transatlantic ties born from its post-Second World War restoration, as well as its anchoring in the devotional landscape of the Plougastel peninsula, marked by 26 other crosses converging towards the village.

The detailed descriptions of Canon Abgrall (1904) or Leon Le Berre (1937) underline his originality, between "furling" of characters and "recollection". Today, Calvary remains a place of memory, reflecting both popular piety, past epidemics and the resilience of a heritage threatened by modern conflicts.

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