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Origin and history

The Saint-Pierre d'Aleth Cathedral, located in the Saint-Servan district of Saint-Malo (Ille-et-Vilaine), is a pre-Roman building built around 920. It is distinguished by its unusual plan in Brittany, inspired by St Peter's Basilica in Rome, with two opposite apses. This model, rare in the region, bears witness to the cultural and architectural exchanges of Brittany with the rest of the Carolingian Empire. Archaeological excavations revealed remains of a 9th century Carolingian church, as well as traces of a Gallo-Roman building of the 4th century, illustrating the continued occupation of the site.

The cathedral was destroyed in 1255 during a conflict with Saint Malo, after the transfer of the episcopal seat to that city in 1145. Only the oriental apse, transformed into a chapel dedicated to St Peter and restored in 1868, remains partially. The remains, listed as historical monuments in 1945 and 1996, were consolidated after excavations carried out between 1972 and 1978. This research has helped to reconstruct the plans of successive buildings, highlighting a unique nave extended by a narrow choir and two rectangular appendices.

Architecturally, the cathedral was 35.75 m long by 15.50 m wide, with a rectangular nave without transept, covered with a frame. The single roller arches and square pillars, without capitals, reflect the preroman characteristics. The eastern part, covered with a stone cul-de-four, is the most remarkable vestige. The site, occupied since the Iron Age, bears witness to a complex religious and urban history, marked by successive reconstructions and destructions linked to local political tensions.

Today, the ruins of St. Peter's Cathedral in Aleth, owned by the municipality of St. Malo, offer an exceptional testimony to the pre-Roman architecture of Brittany. Their preservation allows us to study Carolingian influences in Brittany and the evolution of religious practices in the region. The site, although partially destroyed, remains an emblematic site of the Malouin historical heritage, accessible to the public and included in the lists of protected monuments.

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