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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Saint John of Campeneac chapel, located in Morbihan, was founded in the 13th century by the Knights of the Order of the Temple, on the site of a sixth century hermitage. After the dissolution of the Templars in 1312, it was attributed to the Hospitallers of the Order of St John of Jerusalem. The site, originally isolated in the forest of Paimpont, became a priory before being given in 1568 to Prigent de Trecesson by Charles IX.

The chapel, rectangular with a semicircular apse, was thoroughly remodelled in the seventeenth century. Its thick, local shale walls and natural rocky soil reflect simple and rustic architecture. Nearby, the ruins of a hermitage and a fountain dedicated to Saint John testify to its spiritual past, with annual processions on June 24.

The monument houses the burial of Nicolas Bourelle de Sivry (1756-1808), seigneur of Trécessson and payer general. Since 1946, the chapel has been listed as a historical monument, surrounded by remains and ancient houses forming a picturesque hamlet. Its frame bell tower and narrow windows illustrate its architectural evolution throughout the centuries.

The chapel symbolizes the transitions between religious orders and local lords, while preserving traces of its medieval origin. Its inscription as a historic monument underscores its heritage importance in the Breton region, marked by the history of the Templars and Hospitallers.

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