Guimiliau Travel Guide

 hquittner Says:  The Calvary at Guimiliau is what you have come here for. It is similarto most of the others in the area in that it has an arch with supporting angled arms that form its base. On the platform above is a single knobby post with a crucifix with Jesus at the top. Lower down... 

 hquittner Says:  There is another important Altar, that of the Rosary. This must be a particular manifestation of Breton religious worship as we do not remeber seeing these altars elswhere and we haven seen them in almost every Breton church, All are framed in circular medallions with scenes... 

 hquittner Says:  The interior has many furnishings and altars that feature fine examples of Breton woodcarving skill. There are the organ case, the pulpit and a large number of wooden altarpieces. (Church woodworking art during the 16-17C appears in enormous amounts all over Europe along... 

 hquittner Says:  Itis surprising tifjnd such an elaborate entry to a church in a small poor town (pop. 700), even more with such a fine Calvary next to it. The first thing that strikes you is the large rounded recessed entry arches and their well carved voussoirs, like a Gothic cathedral.... 

 hquittner Says:  The Carving skills range from crude to fine.Much of the work on the voussoirs is as good as that on the Calvary and the Apostles are as fine. A cruder and earlier phase is seen in the freize below the Apostles (dated1606) where the Birth of Eve from Adam's side is depicted... 

 hquittner Says:  We entered the Close through a gate to reveal a 16C church with a tall tower and a prominent South Porch that had a rounded doorway with recessed arches. These and 4 gabled bays with large windows forming a nave were evidences of a 17C Flamboyant Renaissance remodelling.... 

 Mikebond Says:  The main reason to go to Guimiliau is to visit its enclos paroissial, with the richest calvaire of the whole Bretagne: more than 200 statues! It is formed by:1) the église de Saint-Miliau;2) the calvaire (see more photos in the travelogue;3) the sacristy;4) the charnel... 

 Mikebond Says:  When you come out of the church, ask the guide where you can see the woman with the naked breast. Here she is! It's a very curious sculpture for a church, isn't it?The second pic show other decorations that must be inside the church. 

 Mikebond Says:  The three altar-pieces of the choir are certainly the most important art works of the church. The first represents Saint-Miliau, while the other two show Christ, the Madonna and saints.The last two pictures depict a cross and the statue of a saint with two decorated columns. 

 Mikebond Says:  The inside of the church is Baroque and, as you can already see, it is much richer than that of Saint-Thégonnec. Worth seeing are the organ, the wooden pulpit (1677) and the baptistry (1675), but I think the most beautiful part is the choir with its decorated altar-pieces... 

 Mikebond Says:  The église de Saint-Miliau was erected in the 16th century, but it was rebuilt in the 17th. The portal is decorated with statues of Apostles and biblical episodes. Let's go inside.