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Origin and history

The Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Basilica of Guingamp, located in the heart of the historic Breton city, finds its origins in a 12th century castral chapel, which became a parish church under the name of Saint Peter and then of the Blessed Mary. Its major development began in the 13th century after the partial collapse of the building, requiring a prolonged reconstruction until the 14th century under the impetus of Charles de Blois, Duke of Brittany, who was involved in the building of the sacristy and the great altar. The historical hazards, such as the War of Succession of Brittany (1341–1364) and the sieges of the League's wars, mark the monument for a long time, whose fame grew thanks to papal indulgences and the creation of the Frairie Blanche in 1466.

The sixteenth century was marked by major reconstructions, notably after the collapse of the southwest tower in 1535, which destroyed part of the nave and western gate. The Renaissance Tower, erected between 1537 and 1574 by masters such as Jean Le Moal, illustrates this architectural renewal. Marian worship took on a regional dimension in 1650 with the organization of a great pilgrimage, leading to the enlargement of the oratory and the realization of a tuffle altarpiece in 1670. The basilica, looted and desecrated during the Revolution, was restored in the 19th century under the aegis of the parish priest Jean-Marie Robin, who in 1857 obtained the coronation of the Black Virgin by Pope Pius IX.

Ranked a Historic Monument in 1914, the basilica bears the stigma of conflicts, such as the partial destruction of its central tower in 1944 during the Liberation. Its remarkable elements include three distinct towers (the 13th century Pointed Tower, the Renaissance Tower, and the Clock Tower), a granite maze symbolizing the spiritual quest, and 19th and 20th century stained glass windows. His organ, restored several times, notably in 1974, and his chapels dedicated to figures such as Charles de Blois or Jeanne de Penthièvre, bear witness to his rich artistic and historical heritage, linked to Marian devotion and Breton history.

The basilica also houses medieval fires, such as that of Rolland de Coatgourheden, the senechal of Charles de Blois, or that of Bishop Pierre Morel, archdeacon of Tréguier in the 14th century. His stained-glass windows, such as those of the chapel of the Virgin or of the Abside, tell notable episodes, such as the coronation of the Virgin in 1857 or the divine protection invoked during the Franco-Prussian war of 1870. The building, marked by varied architectural styles (gothic, Renaissance, flamboyant), thus embodies nearly a thousand years of religious, political and social history in Brittany.

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