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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The chapel of Langroës, also known as the Chapel of the True Cross, Our Lady of Mercy or Chapel of the Congregation, is located in the village of Erdeven in Morbihan. Dating from the middle of the 16th century, it is characterized by its south door in basket cove, decorated with a Renaissance brace with cabbage motifs, pilasters decorated with circles and diamond, and an shield supported by two angels. This door, now murated, was listed as a historical monument in 1927 for its architectural interest.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the chapel underwent a first major modification: it was "cut" to allow the extension of the main road of the village, thus losing part of its original structure. According to the sources, its flat bedside, backed by pinnacle foothills, was replaced by a polygonal bedside during subsequent changes in the late 19th or early 20th century. In 1826, it was restored and dedicated to Notre-Dame de Pitié, becoming a meeting place for the local Congregation.

The building, built of cut stone with slate frames, features a short rectangular plan and a long-paned roof. Its western facade, which rose in the 19th century, supported a bell tower. Inside, remains remain like a bentier and a truncated credence, while his furniture has largely disappeared. Disused today, the chapel lost part of its authenticity after a new modification in 1957, where its west facade was receded by 5 meters.

The archives mention a friary (community of faithful) associated with the chapel in 1683, extending over the village of Kergehennec. The cadastral plan of 1811 shows its original location, almost joined to the parish church Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul. Despite its transformations, the southern gate remains the only protected element, witness to its Renaissance past.

The chapel illustrates the adaptations of Breton religious buildings to urban constraints and liturgical changes. Its history also reflects local practices, such as the juxtaposition of shrines (here with the parish church), common in Brittany. Today owned by an association, it retains a heritage value despite its altered state.

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