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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

La Fontaine des Carmes de Quintin, located in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Brittany, dates from the seventeenth century. It was built in 1619 by the Carmelites, who then settled in the city to found a convent and a church. These buildings, sold as national property during the French Revolution, have now disappeared, leaving room for a garden where this granite architectural ensemble remains.

The fountain consists of a gable topped by a port, with a niche through which the water flows. It feeds a succession of three basins by a gravitational system, typical of the hydraulic arrangements of the time. The ensemble, classified as a historical monument on 2 March 1981, bears witness to the religious and artisanal heritage of the Carmelites in the region.

Owned by the municipality of Quintin, the fountain is located at 2 bis rue des Carmes. Its architecture, made of local granite, reflects the Breton construction techniques of the seventeenth century. The accuracy of its location is considered satisfactory, with an address confirmed by the Merimée bases and GPS coordinates available.

The Carmelites, a religious order present at Quintin in 1619, were a lasting sign of the urban landscape. Their convent, now gone, was a place of monastic life and prayer. The fountain, the central element of the Conventual Garden, was probably used for water supply and meditation, illustrating the importance of water in Christian spirituality.

Ranked among historical monuments, the Carmes Fountain is a remarkable example of the Breton hydraulic heritage. Its gravity system, which is still functional, and its state of conservation make it a site of historical, architectural and technical interest. The Creative Commons license of available photographs allows a wide dissemination of its image, contributing to its tourist and cultural value.

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