Brittany Churches

St-Thégonnec Calvary © Biddybid

One of Brittany's many tourist attractions are its Parish Closes, also known as "Enclos Paroissiaux".
They are basically an imposing walled cemetery around a church. Sculptured in granite stone in an intriquite yet naïve style, these parish closes usually consist of an triumphal archway entrance, a calvary, an ossuary and a church. Mainly built during 16C and 17C, these impressive sculptured monuments are the best form of Breton art you can find. As some villages started to get richier from clothing trading, wealth was usually displayed by building bigger and craftier closes. The carvings, which usually represent bliblical stories, have since weathered with time and covered of lichen but still, they are a constant reminder of how deeply religion is anchored into Breton culture.
Parish Closes are mostly found in Finistère between the Elorn estuary and Morlaix with some fine examples in:

• Plougastel-Daoulas
• Guimiliau
• Lampaul-Guimiliau
• St-Thégonnec
• Morlaix