Saint-Thégonnec Parish close, Religious architectural complex in Saint-Thégonnec, France.
The parish close of Saint-Thégonnec comprises the Notre-Dame church, a triumphal gate of 1587–1589, an enclosure wall, an ossuary built 1676–1682 by Jean Le Bescont, and a calvary dated 1610. The church has a Gothic bell tower and a Renaissance tower; its porch carries a statue of Saint Thégonnec and statues of four apostles. The gate is made of Plounéour-Ménez granite from the Kerjean castle workshop.
The church was begun in 1563, though only its front bell tower survives from that campaign; other parts date from 1640–1650, 1652–1656, 1667–1669 and 1714–1716. The ossuary and calvary were listed as monuments historiques in 1886, the triumphal arch in 1914 and the churchyard wall in 1928. A fire on 8 June 1998 badly damaged the church, including the altarpiece of Notre-Dame du Vrai Secours, and restoration ran until 2005.
The annual pardon is held on the second Sunday of September, when the parish close becomes the setting for a procession. In July and August, volunteer guides from the Sauvegarde du patrimoine religieux en vie offer tours of the site. The calvary includes a small niche with a carving of Saint Thégonnec driving a cart pulled by wolves, which, according to legend, had devoured his donkey.
The site is accessible by foot and the courtyard and exterior structures can be explored at any time. For access to the church interior and detailed tours, it is best to check local opening hours before your visit.
Inside the church sits an oak baptismal font from 1675, showing how craftspeople created long-lasting wooden furnishings of that era. Beside it stands a pipe organ built by the craftsman Jacques Mascard in the 1600s.
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