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Origin and history

The church of Notre-Dame-de-All-Joies de Broualan, located in the department of Ille-et-Vilaine, was erected from 8 March 1483, as evidence of a Gothic inscription on the first northern pile of the choir. Originally a Freian chapel dependent on La Boussac, it became a parish seat by imperial decree in 1853, before being classified as a Historic Monument in 1911. Its architecture, marked by a homogenous Gothic style, suggests a noble command, probably linked to the Rohan-Guéméné and the lords of Landal, as evidenced by the weapons present in the former seigneurial chapel.

The construction was divided into two phases: the choir (late 15th century), attributed to Louis II de Rohan-Guéméné and his wife Louise de Rieux, then the nave (early 16th century), financed by François de Maure and Hélène de Rohan, lords of Landal. The single-ship plan, with an unusually cut-out bedside in Upper Britain, and the stylistic ties with other Breton chapels (such as Notre-Dame-de-Lannelou in Montauban) underline its prestige. The building, richly decorated with flamboyant fillings and sculptures, reflects a rare technical mastery for the region.

In the 19th century, several restoration campaigns marked its history: restoration of the vaults of the choir (1853–58), installation of stained glass windows by the master glassmaker Reby (1866), and transformation of the seigneurial chapel into a sacristy (1900–1901) by architect Alfred Frangeul. These interventions, although partially modifying the original aspect (such as the replacement of the curved vaults of the nave), enabled the preservation of the building. Today, the church preserves remarkable furniture elements, including a 15th century pieta, granite altarpieces, and historical stained glass windows depicting biblical scenes.

The origin of the church remains linked to a local legend: she is said to be the ex-voto of a high-line lady, thanking the return healthy and except her husband who went on a journey. Although romantic, this hypothesis is contradicted by the exceptional quality of the building, typical of an aristocratic command. The carved foothills, adorned gates, and the source under the high altar (with a stone basin) add to its mystery, as does the hypothesis of an unlocalized crypt mentioned by some sources.

Ranked among the most homogeneous monuments of Ille-et-Vilaine, the church of Broualan illustrates the patronage of the great Breton families at the hinge of the 15th and 16th centuries. Its three-bay bell tower, octagonal turret, and 19th-century stained glass windows bear a unique witness to the regional religious heritage, between medieval heritage and modern restorations. Its early ranking (as early as 1911) underscores its historical and architectural importance.

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