ST. CORENTIN'S CATHEDRAL
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Saint-Corentin Cathedral is one of Brittany's finest examples of Gothic art. Between the two towers, the equestrian statue of Gradlon, king of the legendary town of Ys, dominates the city.
A true jewel of Gothic art, Quimper's Cathedral Saint-Corentin is deeply linked to the history of the town and its inhabitants. A deep attachment to this beautiful building, begun in 1239 and spanning almost six centuries, is still evident today. Saint Corentin (5th or 6th century), the hermit named first bishop by the legendary King Gradlon, gives his name to the building. The completion of its two towers and the construction of the spires, visible from almost every part of the town, was financed by the people of Quimper themselves, at the end of the 19th century. In 1862, the cathedral was classified as a historic monument. And if we were to remember only one part of its history, it would be its transformation into a temple of Reason during the French Revolution, when all its furnishings and sacred objects were destroyed. The Concordat restored the church to its original purpose in 1801. An architectural feature that catches the eye is the absence of alignment between the choir and the nave. Is this a symbolic orientation, echoing the position of Christ's head on the cross? Or was the nave built off-centre, away from the Odet river, to provide a stable foundation? The mystery remains. Fully restored in the 1990s and 2000s, the original polychromy can now be admired in all its beauty. In the north aisle chapels, admire the superb and mysterious paintings by Yann d'Argent.
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