La Baule - Collegiate church saint-aubin : guerande

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COLLEGIATE CHURCH SAINT-AUBIN : GUERANDE

Very little is known about the succession of religious buildings on the site of the original baptistery built by Prince Waroc'h. Dedicated to Saint-Aubin, Bishop of Angers in the 6th century and a native of the peninsula, the church became a collegiate church in the 9th century following the foundation of a chapter of canons attributed to King Salomon. It was rebuilt in about 1200 and the Romanesque pillars in the nave are evidence of that work.

Very badly damaged during the Breton Wars of Succession, the Collegiate Church was restored in time for the signature of the first peace treaty in 1365. Various building projects succeeded one another until the 18th century, improving and adding new features : choir and chevet (15th - 16 th centuries), Baroque altarpieces and stalis (17th century). But hardly had this work been completed, than the church found itself in the midst of the French Revolution, it suffered little damage, other than to the windows. However, the Revolution led to the major structural changes, since, in 1792, the status of Collegiate Church was abolished and the canons exiled to Spain.

In 1840, following the creation of the National Historical Monuments Commission, the church's true value was realised and it was listed. The works undertaken by the architect Bourgerel were overly ambitious and unfortunately caused the collapse of the west front in 1876. It was Eugène Boismen who was charged with reconstructing it in the original style.

Zip code : 44350
City : Guerande (7kms from La Baule)

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