Tour de Saint-Guénolé

About

The square tower of Saint-Guénolé is the remaining bell tower of a 15th century parish church in Penmarc'h, Finistère, Brittany. Built from 1488, at the height of the maritime prosperity of the Bigouden country, it was initially serving both religious, military (watch tower) and maritime (americ) functions. After the economic decline of the port and the ban on worship in 1722 for security reasons, the church was abandoned in the 18th century and was destroyed.

From the original building in flamboyant Breton Gothic style, today only this massive granite tower and some remains of the nave, flanked by a small chapel built in the 19th century. The building is distinguished by its rich carved decoration of caravels and fish, which reflects the historic importance of cod fishing to local shipowners. Classified as historic monuments since 1916, this isolated coastal ruin has become a local symbol and a striking iconographic subject, represented by artists such as Charles-François Daubigny, Mathurin Méheut and Lucien Simon.