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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Church of St.Barbe, located in Moustoir-Ac in Morbihan, is a religious building whose current structure dates mainly from the 16th century. Its architecture, Latin cross type with unique nave, reflects late Gothic and neo-classical influences. The tower, erected between 1774 and 1777, dominates the whole with its sober style and its four floors bounded by horizontal bands. A statue of Saint Barbe, patron saint of the parish, adorns a niche of the bell tower, while the southern porch (1873) has sandstones carved with fantastic masks and animals.

The interior furniture bears witness to different epochs: the polychrome altarpiece of the major altar (1730), mutilated from its upper floor, frames a Christ on a cross, while the 18th century Baptist chapel houses a black marble fountain. The stained glass windows, installed in 1887 by the Fournier de Tours workshops, complete this artistic ensemble. The sacristy on the floor, added in 1838, and the stand of 1852 illustrate the subsequent developments. The church, which was listed as a historical monument in 1925, also preserves traces of the local carpenters, Les Thébault, whose claw adorns the choir's sandstone.

The exterior elements, such as the 16th-century crawlers decorated with vegetal butts and animals, or the slate bell tower renovated in 1926, highlight the architectural evolution of the site. The western porch and tower, dated from the late eighteenth century, complete to characterize this emblematic monument of Breton heritage, still owned by the municipality of Moustoir-Ac.

The 626 kg bell, blessed in 1853 by the Rector Jean-Joseph Raoul, and the large crucifix installed in 1904 in the central niche of the altarpiece, mark symbolic stages of parish life. The major altar, consecrated in 1964, recalls modern liturgical adaptations, while preserving ancient elements such as the mystical Lamb, vestige of the ancient mission cross.

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