Basilica Cathedral St. Peter and St. Patern, Vannes

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Mosaic of the cathedral with the Romanesque tower in front (December 2006)
Mosaic of the cathedral with the Romanesque tower in front (December 2006)

The Cathedral St. Peter and St. Patern of Vannes, France (French: Cathédrale Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Patern de Vannes), commonly called the Cathedral of Vannes, which also carries the title Basilica, was erected on the place of the former Romanesque cathedral. The construction of the Gothic building spreads across five centuries, from the 15th to the 19th. Including the time of existence of the Romanesque bell tower, this makes a total of seven centuries of construction.

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[edit] History

In the 9th century, when Vannes was the capital of Brittany, it became also an episcopal center. The first building was erected around 1020 in Romanesque style. Built out of granite and continuously modified by adding new structures, the cathedral is an extremely composite building. The rebuilding into Gothic style dates mainly to the 15th and 16th centuries. In this period the nave and the gate of the northern brace – whose twelve niches, according to Breton custom, were supposed to accommodate the Apostles – were to be built high. The northern tower is the main remnant of the former Romanesque building, while the vaults and the choir were built between 1771 and 1774.

[edit] Architecture

Ground plan of the cathedral
Ground plan of the cathedral

[edit] Dimensions

The horizontal dimensions of the building can be derived from the ground plan. Data on the heights are not available for the moment. The building is one of the largest on the eastern seaboard.

[edit] Exterior

The façade was carved in 1857 in a neo-Gothic style. Outside, in front of the central pillar of the large gate, stands a statue of the Dominican monk St. Vincent Ferrer, from Valencia. His activities in the 15th century greatly influenced Christianity in Vannes. The northern façade opens to the garden of the cloister (ruins from the 16th century) and the street of the Canons by the beautiful gate of the blazing transept in a late Gothic style (1514), decorated with twelve niches designed to shelter the apostles. The cross, visible close to the northern façade, dates back to the 15th century and was brought from the cemetery.

[edit] Interior

The nave with the altar and statues of St. Peter and St. Paul (December 2006)
The nave with the altar and statues of St. Peter and St. Paul (December 2006)

In the Middle Ages, the floor of the cathedral had been covered by tombstones. For hygienic reasons, only the tradition to bury the bishops in their episcopal church has been preserved. However, some tombstones have been returned and can be seen today. The cathedral has only retained tombs dating back to the 17th century. Two bishops' tombs can be found in the crypt under the choir. The following sites can be seen in the building

  • Chapel of the Ancient Baptismal Fonts (pos. 1 ground plan) - it is too small for actual baptizing to take place, but carries the spirit of baptism. The feeling is further enhanced by the stained glass window, displaying motives of baptism.
  • St. Ann's Chapel (pos. 2) - St. Ann is the patron saint of Brittany. Here, as in the Cathedral of Nantes, she enjoys special attention, especially with the statue of her. The stained glass window shows the pilgrimage of St. Anne d'Auray, other important events of her life, and one of the Blessed Virgin.
  • Chapel of the Rosary of the Saints Hearts (pos. 3) - the stained glass window is one of the first that show the Sacred Heart of Paray. It is related to the window above the choir.
  • Chapel of the Blessed Peter Rene Roque (pos. 4) - Blessed Peter Rene Roque [1] was a priest, born in Vannes, known for his strong devotion to religion. He was condemned to death and guillotined for bringing communion to a dying man. He is buried under the altar.
  • St. Gwenaël's Chapel - south entrance (pos. 5) - St. Gwenaël [2] took part in the evangelization of the West Diocese in the 6th century. In the stained glass window he is represented in the company of Françoise d'Amboise. She was the duchess of Brittany and the founder of the first convent of the Carmelites in Vannes.
  • The Liturgical Choir - the three Fossati altars date back to the 18th century. The statues of St. Peter and St. Paul are placed above the two small altars.
  • Our Lady of Lourdes's Chapel - south transept (pos. 6) - this is the place of the old door of the Dukes. The stained glass window shows the First Communion of Françoise d'Amboise. Above the window is St. Peter, to the left a painting of the ascent of St. Petronille [3] [4] to Heaven. Before the French Revolution, that had been the place of the tomb of St. Gwenaël. To the right of the altar is buried Mrs. Francheville, a local mystic woman.
  • Ambulatory (pos. 7) - the ambulatory is very large to accommodate the pilgrims coming to pray on the tomb of St. Vincent Ferrier in the Middle Ages. A marble plate indicates the affiliation of the cathedral to the St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. The cathedral in Vannes also carries the title Basilica.
  • The room of the treasure (pos. 8) - it was arranged around 1782 in a part of the Romanesque choir. Beautiful woodworks furnish the walls. The shelves contain books on theology and religious history. The most remarkable item is a box made of wood and covered with painted parchment of southernmost origin. It dates back to the 12th century and is decorated with scenes of life. Among the other notable objects of the treasure room, one can also mention a gold cross and two ivory sticks.
The chapel of St. Ann in the Cathedral of Vannes (December 2006)
The chapel of St. Ann in the Cathedral of Vannes (December 2006)
  • Portal of the Canons - north transept (pos. 13) - St. Vincent Ferrer's tomb had been located here until 1956. There is still a stained glass window depicting him. There are also two paintings, one of Gosse (1945) and one of Mauzaise (1831). The former shows the death of the Saint and the latter depicts him preaching to infidels. This is the place where baptism is currently celebrated.
  • Our Lady of Mercy Chapel (pos. 14) - here one can find a painting of a Virgin with a child by Delaval (1836). There is also a stained glass window with St. Yves. He enjoys special position in all Breton churches, as a patron saint of the Breton Rectors, and also as the main defender of the independence of the Breton churches against the royal power.
  • St. Vincent Ferrer's Chapel (pos. 15) - this used to be the chapel of the Holy Sacrament, but since 1956 it houses the relics of St. Vincent Ferrer, including the skull.
  • St. Anthony Chapel – north entrance (pos. 16) - here one can admire a painting of Vincent from 1830 that depicts Jesus Christ on the Cross, St. John, the Holy Virgin and St. Mary Magdalene.
  • Chapel of St. Mériadec and St. Patern (pos. 18) - the stained glass window here represents St. Meriadec [5] and St. Patern, the first Bishop of Vannes. One can also see the painting of Rivoulon from 1846, "Litanies of the Holy Virgin", and the one of Destouches from 1819, showing the Resurrection of St. Lazarus.
  • Romanesque tower (pos. 19) - this is the only structure left from the Romanesque cathedral. It accommodates the four bells of the church.

Positions 9, 10, 11, 13 and 17 are the Blessed Sacrament Chapel (closed for visitors), the Chapel of Our Lady de Pitié the Chapel in the apse, Calvary and the Chapel of St. Louis respectively.

[edit] Other information

In the novels of Alexandre Dumas, the musketeer Aramis appears at one point as Bishop of Vannes and logically must have served in this very cathedral.

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 47.658° N 2.757° W

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