Saint-Pol-de-Léon
Encyclopedia
Saint-Pol-de-Léon is a commune
in the Finistère
department in Bretange in northwestern France
, located on the coast.
It is famous for its 13th-century cathedral
on the site of the original founded by Saint Paul Aurelian
in the 6th century. It has kept a unique architecture, such as Notre-Dame du Kreisker Chapel, an 80 m high chapel, which is the highest in Brittany. It was also the scene of a battle
during the Breton War of Succession
, where the Montfortists and their English allies defeated an army led by Charles of Blois.
It is the first vegetable producer and farmers market of Brittany
(90% of French artichoke
production) and exports tens of thousands of vegetables to the whole of Europe every year.
. The Latin
name given to the entire region is now the Leon ("Pays Léonard"). It was long the seat of a bishop
, now merged into the Roman Catholic Diocese of Quimper. The city later became a sort of religious capital.
Several vestiges demonstrate a roman military presence in the 3rd century. Based on ancient writings, Saint Pol would have then been enclosed by extraordinary high motted walls.
In the 15th century, Saint Pol de Léon is a famous spiritual and cultural centre. The Pempoul harbour is at its rise. Fortified doors protected the 2000 inhabitants until the 18th century. During the 18h century, the bishop
s of Léon strongly influenced the architectural style of the city. A new episcopal
house was erected in 1706 and extended in 1750. The seminary dates from 1708, the catholic college from 1788.
the city lost the episcopate, a rich chapter, a college, 3 religious communities, a retirement house and 15 religious houses. Then started 100 years of economical decline. "Today Saint Pol de Léon is a dead city" was Flaubert report in 1847.
Nowadays, the region is still the strongest concentration for horticultural production and transformation.
and strands
of St Pol de Léon have names of pieces of poetry :
"Tahiti", le "Petit-Nice", "Sainte-Anne"… The walker discovers them from the panoramic viewpoint of the "Champ de la Rive" municipal park
, which is overhung by a mission cross erected in 1901. The panorama is the most exceptional of the North-Finistère. The Sainte-Anne islet a listed natural site and hermitage of the White Friars until the 18 century, the gigantic rock on the site, was once armed with cannons.
Wales Saint-Pol-de-Léon is twinned with Penarth
, Wales
, in the United Kingdom
. Vechta
, Germany
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Finistère
Finistère
Finistère is a département of France, in the extreme west of Brittany.-History:The name Finistère derives from the Latin Finis Terræ, meaning end of the earth, and may be compared with Land's End on the opposite side of the English Channel...
department in Bretange in northwestern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, located on the coast.
It is famous for its 13th-century cathedral
Saint-Pol-de-Léon Cathedral
Saint-Pol-de-Léon Cathedral is a former Roman Catholic cathedral in Saint-Pol-de-Léon in Brittany....
on the site of the original founded by Saint Paul Aurelian
Paul Aurelian
Paul Aurelian is a 6th century Welsh saint, who became one of the seven founder saints of Brittany....
in the 6th century. It has kept a unique architecture, such as Notre-Dame du Kreisker Chapel, an 80 m high chapel, which is the highest in Brittany. It was also the scene of a battle
Battle of St Pol de Leon
The Battle of Saint-Pol-de-Léon was a minor action during the Breton War of Succession and thus part of the larger Hundred Years War. The battle was fought in June 1346 and marked a minor turning point in the fortunes of the Montfortists and their English allies in Brittany following several...
during the Breton War of Succession
Breton War of Succession
The Breton War of Succession was a conflict between the Houses of Blois and Montfort for control of the Duchy of Brittany. It was fought between 1341 and 1364. It formed an integral part of the early Hundred Years War due to the involvement of the French and English governments in the conflict; the...
, where the Montfortists and their English allies defeated an army led by Charles of Blois.
It is the first vegetable producer and farmers market of Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
(90% of French artichoke
Artichoke
-Plants:* Globe artichoke, a partially edible perennial thistle originating in southern Europe around the Mediterranean* Jerusalem artichoke, a species of sunflower with an edible tuber...
production) and exports tens of thousands of vegetables to the whole of Europe every year.
Population
Inhabitants of Saint-Pol-de-Léon are called Saintpolitains.History
The city takes its present name of one of the legendary founder saints of Brittany : Saint Paul AurelianPaul Aurelian
Paul Aurelian is a 6th century Welsh saint, who became one of the seven founder saints of Brittany....
. The Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
name given to the entire region is now the Leon ("Pays Léonard"). It was long the seat of a bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
, now merged into the Roman Catholic Diocese of Quimper. The city later became a sort of religious capital.
Gallo-roman walls
A double stone-alley, quite good preserved, is the last remains of prehistoric population on Saint Pol site.Several vestiges demonstrate a roman military presence in the 3rd century. Based on ancient writings, Saint Pol would have then been enclosed by extraordinary high motted walls.
Religious centre
As of the 6th century, the monastery site became an episcopate named "Kastell Paol". The city then extended beyond its walls.In the 15th century, Saint Pol de Léon is a famous spiritual and cultural centre. The Pempoul harbour is at its rise. Fortified doors protected the 2000 inhabitants until the 18th century. During the 18h century, the bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
s of Léon strongly influenced the architectural style of the city. A new episcopal
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
house was erected in 1706 and extended in 1750. The seminary dates from 1708, the catholic college from 1788.
The Révolution
During the RévolutionRevolution
A revolution is a fundamental change in power or organizational structures that takes place in a relatively short period of time.Aristotle described two types of political revolution:...
the city lost the episcopate, a rich chapter, a college, 3 religious communities, a retirement house and 15 religious houses. Then started 100 years of economical decline. "Today Saint Pol de Léon is a dead city" was Flaubert report in 1847.
19th and 20th centuries
As of 1883, the railway contributed to the considerable expansion of the agricultural production. In 1890 Saint Pol de Léon became the main commercial centre in France for vegetable exportation.Nowadays, the region is still the strongest concentration for horticultural production and transformation.
Sights
- Kreisker chapelKreisker chapelThe Notre-Dame du Kreisker chapel is a former Roman Catholic chapel in Saint-Pol-de-Léon in Brittany. With its 78 meters rising up in the sky, the church tower of the "Chapelle du Kreisker" is the highest in Brittany...
, 14th and 15th centuries, is the highest steeple in all BrittanyBrittanyBrittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
. Norman and British influences are visible on the architecture of this classified historic monument. - The Saint Paul Aurélien cathedralSaint-Pol-de-Léon CathedralSaint-Pol-de-Léon Cathedral is a former Roman Catholic cathedral in Saint-Pol-de-Léon in Brittany....
, with its roman remains is also a testimony of the influence of Norman artististic style on Breton architecture in the 13th century. organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
Dallam (17th century) - Townhall, built in 1706, the new EpiscopalBishopA bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
palace, these days the town hall, was extended in 1750. In the town hall there is a monumental staircase ornamented with some paintings from the Louvre Museum. - The Prebendal house, built for a rich canon whose income, the "Prébendes" came from taxes, this exceptional house of the 16th century is of Breton Renaissance style.
- Kéroulas manor. This small castle was erected for a noble canon around 1520. Its lay-out and decoration are a perfect example of the architectural style of RenaissanceRenaissanceThe Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
, as in most rural mansions around Saint Pol. - The St-Joseph chapel was built in 1846 to serve as a place of worship for the adjoining newly opened retirement home giving lodging to the elderly priests of the diocese. The church tower, 33m high, comes from the former UrsulinesUrsulinesThe Ursulines are a Roman Catholic religious order for women founded at Brescia, Italy, by Saint Angela de Merici in November 1535, primarily for the education of girls and the care of the sick and needy. Their patron saint is Saint Ursula.-History:St Angela de Merici spent 17 years leading a...
convent founded in 1630. - The St-Pierre chapel, formerly a parish church, which towers above the cemetery boasts a XV century nave. Designed originally in the shape of a Latin cross, its two wings were removed in the XVII century.
- MegalithMegalithA megalith is a large stone that has been used to construct a structure or monument, either alone or together with other stones. Megalithic describes structures made of such large stones, utilizing an interlocking system without the use of mortar or cement.The word 'megalith' comes from the Ancient...
of Boutouiller. - Kernevez castleCastleA castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
and park - Kersaliou castleCastleA castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
- Laundries
Coast
Scattered over 13 kilometres of coast line, some of the beaches, creeksStream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
and strands
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
of St Pol de Léon have names of pieces of poetry :
"Tahiti", le "Petit-Nice", "Sainte-Anne"… The walker discovers them from the panoramic viewpoint of the "Champ de la Rive" municipal park
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
, which is overhung by a mission cross erected in 1901. The panorama is the most exceptional of the North-Finistère. The Sainte-Anne islet a listed natural site and hermitage of the White Friars until the 18 century, the gigantic rock on the site, was once armed with cannons.
Breton language
- The municipality launched a linguistic plan through Ya d'ar brezhonegYa d'ar brezhonegYa d'ar brezhoneg is a campaign launched by the Ofis ar Brezhoneg in order to stimulate the use of the Breton language in daily life in Brittany, western France. In the first phase, started on 5 October 2001, civil society was targeted. Over 560 enterprises and organisations have signed the...
on December 2, 2008. - In 2008, 19.67% of primary-school children attended bilingual schools.
Personalities
Saint-Pol-de-Léon is the birthplace of :- Gérard JaffrèsGerard JaffrèsGérard Jaffrès is a French singer, writer and performer, born in 1956 in Saint-Pol-de-Léon .He started playing the guitar at the age of 15, playing mostly folk repertoire and pop music ....
(born 1956), musicianMusicianA musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, singer, songwriterSongwriterA songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer... - Louis FlochLouis FlochLouis Floch is a former French footballer.-External links:**...
(born 1947), football player - Jean-Gilles du CoëtlosquetJean-Gilles du CoëtlosquetJean-Gilles du Coëtlosquet was a French ecclesiastic, bishop of Limoges and preceptor to the grandchildren of Louis XV.-Life:...
(1770–1784), bishopBishopA bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the... - Romuald FiguierRomuald FiguierRomuald Figuier is a French singer aka Romuald.He represented Monaco in the 1964 Eurovision Song Contest with "Où sont-elles passées" and finished 3rd....
(born 1941), singer (Eurovision) - BleuniadurBleuniadurThe Bleuniadur Ensemble is a regional ballet founded in Saint-Pol-de-Léon in 1978. Bleuniadur means "blossom" in the Breton language...
, traditional group of dance and music from Brittany
International relations
Wales Saint-Pol-de-Léon is twinned with PenarthPenarth
Penarth is a town and seaside resort in the Vale of Glamorgan , Wales, 5.2 miles south west from the city centre of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff and lying on the north shore of the Severn Estuary at the southern end of Cardiff Bay...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Vechta
Vechta
Vechta with a population of nearly 32,000 is the biggest city and also the capital of the Vechta district in Lower Saxony, Germany.It's well known all around Europe for the 'Stoppelmarkt' fair, which occurs every summer and has a history dating back to 1298....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...