Tréguier
Encyclopedia
Tréguier is a port town in the Côtes-d'Armor
department in Brittany in northwestern France
. It is the capital of the province of Trégor
.
Tréguier is located 36 m. N.W. of Saint-Brieuc
by road. The port is situated about 5½ m. from the English Channel
at the confluence of two streams that form the Tréguier River.
(died c. 564). In the 9th century it became the seat of a bishopric
, suppressed on July 12, 1790 (decree of November 14, 1789). Pop. (1906), 2605.
The cathedral
, remarkable in having three towers over the transept
, one of which is surmounted by a fine spire, dates from the 14th and 15th centuries. It contains the sumptuous modern mausoleum of Ivo of Kermartin
(St Yves; d. 1303), a canon of the cathedral and patron saint of lawyers. The building of the cathedral was largely due to him. The Pardon
of Saint Ivo, a religious festival, attracts an international audience drawn from the legal profession. To the south of the church there is a cloister
(1468) with graceful arcades.
Near the cathedral there is a statue of Ernest Renan
, a native of the town. As he was a prominent skeptic, author of the "pagan" Prayer on the Acropolis, the 1903 unveiling of Renan's statue, which also included a depiction of the goddess Athena
, led to widespread protests from the Catholic Church. The town also houses the Renan birthplace museum. A notable war memorial, the Pleureuse de Tréguier, was designed by Francis Renaud
. A commemorative memorial to Anatole Le Braz
by Armel Beaufils
is in the jardin du poète.
The port and harbour are picturesque, containing many pretty waterfront restaurants and crêperies. There are dramatic views of the quayside.
(Breton
for "Tour of Brittany") is a Catholic
pilgrimage
that links the towns of the seven founding saints of Brittany
, including Tréguier, Saint Tudwal
's town.
The Pardon
of Saint Yves is a major event. As Yves is patron saint of the legal profession, it attracts Catholic lawyers and judges from all over the world.
Côtes-d'Armor
Côtes-d'Armor is a department in the north of Brittany, in northwestern France.-History:Côtes-du-Nord was one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from part of the former province of Brittany. Its name was changed in 1990 to...
department in Brittany 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...
. It is the capital of the province of Trégor
Trégor
Trégor is one of the nine provinces of Brittany, in its northwestern area. It comprises the western part of the department of Côtes-d'Armor and a small part of the northeast of Finistère, as far as the river Morlaix...
.
Geography
Saint-Brieuc
Saint-Brieuc is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Brittany in northwestern France.-History:Saint-Brieuc is named after a Welsh monk Brioc, who evangelized the region in the 6th century and established an oratory there...
by road. The port is situated about 5½ m. from the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
at the confluence of two streams that form the Tréguier River.
History
Tréguier (Trecorum), which dates from the sixth century, grew up round a monastery founded by Saint TudwalSaint Tudwal
Saint Tudwal was a Breton monk. He is considered one of the seven founder saints of Brittany. Tudwal was said to be a son of Hoel Mawr . Tudwal travelled to Ireland to learn the scriptures, then became a hermit on what is now called Saint Tudwal's Island East off North Wales...
(died c. 564). In the 9th century it became the seat of a bishopric
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
, suppressed on July 12, 1790 (decree of November 14, 1789). Pop. (1906), 2605.
Population
Inhabitants of Tréguier are called trécorrois.Sights
Tréguier Cathedral
Tréguier Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Tréguier in Brittany, dedicated to Saint Tudwal....
, remarkable in having three towers over the transept
Transept
For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...
, one of which is surmounted by a fine spire, dates from the 14th and 15th centuries. It contains the sumptuous modern mausoleum of Ivo of Kermartin
Ivo of Kermartin
Saint Ivo of Kermartin , also known Yvo or Ives, as Erwann and as Yves Hélory , was a parish priest among the poor of Louannec, the only one of his station to be canonized in the Middle Ages. He is the patron of Brittany, lawyers, and abandoned children. His feast day is May 19...
(St Yves; d. 1303), a canon of the cathedral and patron saint of lawyers. The building of the cathedral was largely due to him. The Pardon
Pardon (ceremony)
A Pardon is a typically Breton form of pilgrimage and one of the most traditional demonstrations of popular Catholicism in Brittany. Of very ancient origin, probably dating back to the conversion of the country by the Celtic monks, it is comparable to the parades associated with Saint Patrick's Day...
of Saint Ivo, a religious festival, attracts an international audience drawn from the legal profession. To the south of the church there is a cloister
Cloister
A cloister is a rectangular open space surrounded by covered walks or open galleries, with open arcades on the inner side, running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth...
(1468) with graceful arcades.
Near the cathedral there is a statue of Ernest Renan
Ernest Renan
Ernest Renan was a French expert of Middle East ancient languages and civilizations, philosopher and writer, devoted to his native province of Brittany...
, a native of the town. As he was a prominent skeptic, author of the "pagan" Prayer on the Acropolis, the 1903 unveiling of Renan's statue, which also included a depiction of the goddess Athena
Athena
In Greek mythology, Athena, Athenê, or Athene , also referred to as Pallas Athena/Athene , is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, justice, and skill. Minerva, Athena's Roman incarnation, embodies similar attributes. Athena is...
, led to widespread protests from the Catholic Church. The town also houses the Renan birthplace museum. A notable war memorial, the Pleureuse de Tréguier, was designed by Francis Renaud
Francis Renaud (sculptor)
Francis Renaud , was a French sculptor mainly noted for his monumental granite public memorials in Brittany.Born in Saint-Brieuc, Côtes d'Armor, Brittany, Renaud was associated with the revival of Breton nationalist ideals in art in the early 20th century. His earlier works are in a style close to...
. A commemorative memorial to Anatole Le Braz
Anatole Le Braz
Anatole le Braz, the "Bard of Brittany" was a Breton folklore collector and translator. He was highly regarded amongst both European and American scholars, and known for his warmth and charm....
by Armel Beaufils
Armel Beaufils
Émile Jean Armel Beaufils was a French sculptor who created numerous commemorative works in his native Brittany. Beaufils was born in Rennes and died in Saint-Briac-sur-Mer. He always signed his work "Armel Beaufils". He also collaborated with his partner Suzanne Duvivier, who used the name Zannic...
is in the jardin du poète.
The port and harbour are picturesque, containing many pretty waterfront restaurants and crêperies. There are dramatic views of the quayside.
Economy
Saw-milling, boat-building and flaxstripping are carried on, together with trade in cereals, cloth, potatoes, etc. The port carries on fishing and a coasting and small foreign trade.Religious festivals
Tro BreizhTro Breizh
Tro Breizh is a Catholic pilgrimage that links the towns of the seven founding saints of Brittany. These seven saints were Celtic monks from Britain from around the 5th or 6th century who brought Christianity to Armorica and founded its first bishoprics.The tour originally was a month-long ...
(Breton
Breton language
Breton is a Celtic language spoken in Brittany , France. Breton is a Brythonic language, descended from the Celtic British language brought from Great Britain to Armorica by migrating Britons during the Early Middle Ages. Like the other Brythonic languages, Welsh and Cornish, it is classified as...
for "Tour of Brittany") is a Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
that links the towns of the seven founding saints 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...
, including Tréguier, Saint Tudwal
Saint Tudwal
Saint Tudwal was a Breton monk. He is considered one of the seven founder saints of Brittany. Tudwal was said to be a son of Hoel Mawr . Tudwal travelled to Ireland to learn the scriptures, then became a hermit on what is now called Saint Tudwal's Island East off North Wales...
's town.
The Pardon
Pardon (ceremony)
A Pardon is a typically Breton form of pilgrimage and one of the most traditional demonstrations of popular Catholicism in Brittany. Of very ancient origin, probably dating back to the conversion of the country by the Celtic monks, it is comparable to the parades associated with Saint Patrick's Day...
of Saint Yves is a major event. As Yves is patron saint of the legal profession, it attracts Catholic lawyers and judges from all over the world.
Personalities
Tréguier was the birthplace of:- Ernest RenanErnest RenanErnest Renan was a French expert of Middle East ancient languages and civilizations, philosopher and writer, devoted to his native province of Brittany...
(1823–1892), philosopher and historian of religion - Ernest HelloErnest HelloErnest Hello was a French critic.-Life:He was born at Tréguier, in Brittany. He was the son of a lawyer who held posts of great importance at Rennes and in Paris, and was well educated at both places, but took to no profession and resided much, for a time, in his father's country-house in Brittany...
(1828–1885), criticCriticA critic is anyone who expresses a value judgement. Informally, criticism is a common aspect of all human expression and need not necessarily imply skilled or accurate expressions of judgement. Critical judgements, good or bad, may be positive , negative , or balanced... - Hervaeus NatalisHervaeus NatalisHervaeus Natalis was a Dominican theologian, the 14th Master of the Dominicans, and the author of a number of works on philosophy and theology. Among his many writings may be included the Summa Totius Logicae, an opusculum once attributed to Thomas Aquinas.-Life:Natalis joined the Dominicans in...
(c. 1260–1323) 14th Master General of the Dominicans - Joseph SavinaJoseph SavinaJoseph Savina, , was a Breton woodworker, cabinet maker and sculptor who was a member of the art movement Seiz Breur. He collaborated with Le Corbusier on several projects, and sought to revitalise Breton furniture design. He ran a workshop in Tréguier .-Early life:Savina was born in Douarnenez...
(1901–1983), designer and sculptor, lived and worked here.
External links
- Tourism office website
- Town council website
- Pictures of Tréguier Cathedral: http://www.ca-schleppy-chaux-de-fonds.ch/mediac/400_0/media/tr$E9guierext$E9rieur02270405.jpg, http://www.ville-treguier.fr/img/galerie/cathedrale/cath_4.jpg, http://catholique-saint-brieuc.cef.fr/decouvrir/rub-06-art_patrimoine/rub-02-cathedraletreguier/plancathbleu.jpg, http://www.ville-treguier.fr/img/galerie/cathedrale/cath_3.jpg
- French Ministry of Culture list for Tréguier
