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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Notre-Dame de Pontouar chapel, located in Trégourez, Brittany, is a rural religious building built at the hinge of the 15th and 16th centuries. It has an atypical plan with a marked transept and a slightly protruding bedside, characteristic of the Breton chapels of that time. Its bell tower, backed by the western wall, incorporates a staircase whose steps are directly carved in the masonry of the rampants, illustrating the know-how of the local artisans.

The construction was carried out in two separate countrysides: a first phase in the late 15th or early 16th century, followed by a second in the 16th century, which saw the strengthening of the walls and the repair of the bell tower. These changes reflect the evolution of the liturgical or demographic needs of the community. The chapel, classified as Historic Monument by decree of 17 February 1928, also includes a nearby 16th century cross, protected by the same decree.

Owned by the commune of Trégourez, the chapel is part of a rural landscape where religious buildings played a central role, both a place of worship and a gathering point for the inhabitants. Its modest but neat architecture reflects the importance of secondary chapels in the Breton parish organization, often linked to Marian cults or local pilgrimages. The location, noted as "very satisfactory" (level 8/10), makes it possible to envisage a harmonious integration into its original environment.

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