Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The priory of the Folgoët, also known as the dean, is a Gothic mansion erected around 1426 by Jehan de Kergoal, the first dean of the estate. Its coat of arms — "from Azure to a fascice of gold, surmounted by a hand of silver supporting a bird of the same kind" — still adorn the facade. The building combined two functions: a residence for the dean, authority over the canon chapter of the collegiate Notre-Dame, and a hotel for pilgrims, originally called The Pilgrims' Hotel.

In 1505, after the stay of Queen Anne of Brittany, the room she occupied was renamed Kramb Ar Rouanez ("Queen's Chamber"). This priory, symbol of the reception of pilgrims and the local ecclesiastical power, was classified as a historical monument in 1889. Today, it belongs to the municipality of Folgoët and retains traces of its medieval dual use.

The architecture reflects this duality: private spaces for the dean and collective spaces for travellers. The presence of Queen Anne of Brittany marks a turning point in her history, combining the place with Breton memory. The sources also mention its role in the religious and social organization of the region, linked to the neighbouring college.

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