Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Malo church of Yvignac-la-Tour, located in the Côtes-d'Armor in Brittany, has its origins in the 11th century, as evidenced by the motifs adorning the bases of the batteries of the nave. At that time, the nave had four spans lined with narrow collaterals, while a diaphragm wall separated the choir, topped by a bell tower. The original building ended with a straight bedside. Between the end of the 11th and the beginning of the 12th century, architectural reinforcements were brought: thickening of the facade, framing of the gate, consolidation of the pillars by pilasters and columns, and widening of the bays. The collaterals were extended towards the choir, in the 12th century for the north and in the 13th century for the south.

Between the 12th and 18th centuries, there was no major change in the church. In the 18th century, the outer walls of the collaterals were reconstructed identically. The 19th century marked a complete overhaul: the bell tower was erected between 1868 and 1874 by Mr.Jollivet de Tressaint (according to the plans of Mr. Ramard, for 36,000 francs), while the lower sides, the choir and the transept were rebuilt from 1881 to 1884 according to the plans of Mr.Maignan. This project led to a conflict between the Historical Monuments (represented by Messrs. Ruprich-Robert and Corroyer) and Abbé Anger, leading to the preservation of the most remarkable Romanesque elements, such as the four spans of the nave and their capitals, as well as the central part of the facade. The building was classified as a Historic Monument in 1889.

The Romanesque arches and capitals of the nave, as well as the western portal of the 11th or 12th century, remain from the early church. The capitals, dated the 12th century, represent faces, animals, whole characters and some historiated scenes. The Anglo-Norman influence is guessed in complex wall animation, with engaged columns and rounded mouldings. The 11th or 12th century bedside, the north (XIIe) and south (XIIIe), and the sacristy (XVIIIe) disappeared during the 19th century reconstructions. The choir houses stained glass windows signed A. Laigneau (1883), while interior architecture reveals rare details, such as a sculpted inverted capital of a female figure evoking Irish Sheelas-na-gig.

External links