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Origin and history

The Hervo Barracks was originally a 16th century chapel called Notre-Dame-du-Portail (or Notre-Dame-de-Conq), one of the three intramural places of worship of the City of Concarneau. It served as a chapel at the castle of the city and hosted the deliberations of the local community. Its name comes from its position at the entrance of the fortified city, stressing its central role in the religious and administrative life of the time.

In the 17th century, the fraternity of the Rosary settled, and the building was renamed Notre-Dame-du-Rosaire in the 18th century. During the French Revolution, the chapel was converted into an artillery depot and took the name Hervo barracks. Today, only the original porch remains. After the collapse of its bell tower, a tower was erected in 1828 to house Concarneau's first lighthouse, marking a transition to civil and maritime uses.

The site then housed the fishermen's cooperative before hosting the Concarneau Fishing Museum from 1961. Ranked a historical monument by decree of 8 June 1926, the Hervo barracks illustrate the functional changes of a religious building over the centuries, reflecting the social, military and economic history of the region.

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