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Heritage classified

Origin and history

La Croix de Villenard is a monolithic palis cross located in the commune of Ploërmel in the Morbihan department of Brittany. Cut in shale, it presents a trilobed decor and symbolic engravings, including holes evoking the five wounds of Christ as well as an incised cross. Its age and style suggest a medieval origin, although the exact period of its creation is not specified in the available sources.

Classified as historical monuments by order of 30 May 1927, this cross belongs to the commune of Ploërmel. It is located at the following address: route de Monteneuf or 6 Rue du Nolf, according to the cadastral and geographical references. Its inscription among the protected monuments underlines its heritage importance, especially for its Christian architecture and its monolithic character, typical of the ancient crosses of Brittany.

Crosses of this type often played a central role in the life of Breton rural communities. They served as spiritual landmarks, assembly places for religious ceremonies or processions, and sometimes marked parish boundaries or pilgrimage paths. Their symbolic decoration, like the five plagues of Christ, was intended to remind the faithful of the foundations of Christian faith, in a region where religious art was strongly rooted in everyday life.

No information is available about any sponsors, artisans or specific historical events related to this cross. Sources are limited to its architectural description, classification and location, without details of its past use or associated traditions.

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