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Origin and history

The Church of Notre-Dame-de-Folgoët of Bannalec is a religious building built in the 16th century on the foundations of an early 11th century church. Located in the Finistère department, in Brittany, it once stood in the centre of a enclosure that is now extinct. Its architectural plan includes a nave, two wings forming a false transept, and a choir finished with a three-sided bedside. The contemporary stained glass, made by Gérard Lardeur, contrasts with its medieval structure.

In 1737, a confession from Tinteniac mentioned the presence of coat of arms on all the windows of the church. The building, described as a "gothic bastard, heavy and of bad taste" by the Chevalier de Fréminville, has been home since 1895 to a statue of Notre-Dame de Bannalec, a Virgin opening in oak dating from the Louis XIII era. This statue, once venerated in the missing chapel of Locmarzin, was damaged during a fire in October 1939, which also touched the high altar and carpets.

The church has been partially listed as historical monuments since 17 March 1926, for its apse, transept and bell tower. Protection concerns key elements of its architecture, reflecting its evolution since the Middle Ages. The statue of the Virgin, linked to the family of Tinténiac and the castle of Quimerc.

The site, owned by the commune of Bannalec, preserves traces of its medieval and modern past, between architectural transformations and significant events such as the 1939 fire. Its history reflects the religious, artistic and social dynamics of Brittany throughout the centuries.

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