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Heritage classified

Origin and history

The cross of the cemetery of Bréal-sous-Montfort is a monumental cross located in Place Saint-Malo, against the southern facade of the parish church of Saint-Malo, in the department of Ille-et-Vilaine. Dating from the 16th century, it is distinguished by its octagonal barrel and its cross surmounted by a roof on a double slope, housing a nimbe Christ. Originally, it was held in the old cemetery surrounding the church, before being moved to its current location.

The cross presents a double iconography: a Christ on a cross on one side, and a Virgin with the Child on the reverse. Its lower part has been severed, probably over the centuries. It was protected under the Historic Monuments by an order of May 8, 1933, recognizing its heritage value. Owned by the commune, it bears witness to Breton religious art of the Renaissance.

Architecturally, this cross consists of an octagonal barrel bearing a narrower cross, also octagonal. Christ is represented under an awning, a stylistic peculiarity that recalls the local traditions of protecting sacred symbols. Its present location, between the monument to the dead and the church bell tower, makes it a central element of the visible heritage of Bréal-sous-Montfort.

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