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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The fountain of Clarity, located on Rue des Fontaines in Baud in Morbihan, is a fountain of devotion dating from the 16th century. It is intimately linked to the chapel Notre-Dame de la Clarté, contemporary of its construction. Its architecture is characterized by a shell-topped niche with a gable gable, adorned with hooks in fern leaves. The swimming pool, wide and deep, is fed by a spring that also filled two square enfilade basins, used for washing. In the vicinity, a double-slope, "centrally impluvium" awning collected rainwater while sheltering the lavender.

Ranked a historic monument since May 12, 1925, the fountain reflects the importance of water points in the daily and religious life of Breton villages. In the 19th century, the municipality of Baud built a public washhouse at this site, exploiting the source to facilitate the tasks of lavender. Ancient photographs attest that the roof of the washhouse, originally absent, was added at the beginning of the twentieth century. The Child Virgin visible in the niche is a modern statue, probably replacing an older work.

The building, located at the entrance of Baud on the former Hennebont-Rennes road, illustrates Breton religious art of the Renaissance. Its gable, open in the middle of a curved hanger, houses an inner shell niche. The approaches, paved with granite slabs, avoided mud to users. The stones to be washed, arranged in pairs around the basins, testify to the collective and organized use of this space, mixing Marian devotion and domestic activities.

Owned by the commune, the fountain of the Clarity remains a remarkable example of protected fountains in Brittany. Its designation as historic monuments underscores its heritage value, both for its architecture and its social role. Available sources (Wikipedia, Monumentum) confirm its state of conservation and accessibility, although its location below the road makes it discreet in the urban landscape.

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