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Origin and history

The Saint-Briac church of Saint-Briac-sur-Mer, in Ille-et-Vilaine, is a Catholic monument dating back to the 16th century. The current bell tower, the only vestige of the 17th-century building, was built between 1671 and 1688 by Alain Labat, master pinner of Guingamp. It has been a historic monument since 1908. This granite bell tower, decorated with carved balustrades, recalls the constructions of the Trégor and houses a bell of 1690 offered by the lord of Pontbriand.

The early church, probably Romanesque (XII-11th century), was replaced in the 17th century thanks to the financing of local fishermen, who obtained in exchange the right to fish on chaumé days. Macerels carved on the facade testify to this. The building, considered too modest in 1860, was demolished except the bell tower. The current reconstruction (1867-1868), by the Malouin architects Frangeul, adopted a neo-Roman style with three naves and a transept.

The stained glass windows, made between 1900 and 1950 by Parisian and Lavallois workshops, illustrate the life of Saint Briac and religious scenes. The church also preserves 18th century statues, such as a wooden Saint Michael, and an ex-voto maritime. The furniture includes 19th-century altars and a high altar offered by parishioners in 1887. The site, once surrounded by a Breton enclosure with calvary and cemetery, remains a symbol of Breton maritime heritage.

The participatory financing of the sailors, the seigneurial liter of the Pontbriands, and the traces of the brotherhoods (Saint-Sacrement, Rosaire) underline the link between the community and its church. The glass windows, classified or registered, and the carved elements (fish, balustrades) recall the local identity, between faith and port activities.

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