Bretagne romane: the abbey of Daoulas
Today we continue our visit of the abbey of Daoulas, not very far from the city of Brest in Brittany.
If we are to believe the legends, an early monastery was founded in this place around 550, but was subsequently destroyed during a Viking raid, as were so many other establishments. It was not rebuilt, and no traces of it were ever found y archæologists.
The abbey we see today is a fine Romanesque compound founded in 1173 by Guyomarch IV of Léon, who installed a group of Augustinian regular canons. The abbey church was consecrated in 1232.
Daoulas features the only Romanesque cloister remaining in Brittany.
In this view of the nave, you can see how simple timber roofing (instead of heavy stone vaults) allowed for a lighter structure overall with thin piles, high arcades and large windows that did not compromise the solidity of the side walls.
Bretagne romane: the abbey of Daoulas
Today we continue our visit of the abbey of Daoulas, not very far from the city of Brest in Brittany.
If we are to believe the legends, an early monastery was founded in this place around 550, but was subsequently destroyed during a Viking raid, as were so many other establishments. It was not rebuilt, and no traces of it were ever found y archæologists.
The abbey we see today is a fine Romanesque compound founded in 1173 by Guyomarch IV of Léon, who installed a group of Augustinian regular canons. The abbey church was consecrated in 1232.
Daoulas features the only Romanesque cloister remaining in Brittany.
In this view of the nave, you can see how simple timber roofing (instead of heavy stone vaults) allowed for a lighter structure overall with thin piles, high arcades and large windows that did not compromise the solidity of the side walls.