Guimiliau Facts for Kids

Guimiliau (Breton: Gwimilio) is a small and interesting town in the Brittany region of northwest France. It's located in the Finistère department. Guimiliau is famous for its amazing old church and the special area around it, called a "parish close."

Guimiliau's Special Church and Parish Close
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Guimiliau's Special Church and Parish Close

Guimiliau is best known for its beautiful parish close. A parish close is a unique type of churchyard found mostly in Brittany. It's like a walled-off area around a church, often with a grand entrance, a calvary (a large sculpture showing the crucifixion of Jesus), an ossuary (a building for bones), and the church itself. These closes were built hundreds of years ago, mostly between the 15th and 17th centuries.

The Grand Entrance Gate

When you visit Guimiliau, the first thing you'll notice is the impressive entrance gate to the parish close. It's a big, decorated archway made of stone. This gate shows off the wealth and artistic skill of the people who lived here long ago. It's like walking into a special, historic place as soon as you step through it.

The Calvary: A Story in Stone

One of the most amazing parts of Guimiliau's parish close is its huge calvary. This isn't just a simple cross; it's a massive sculpture with many figures carved from stone. The Guimiliau calvary has over 200 figures! These carvings tell stories from the Bible, especially about the life and death of Jesus. It's like a giant outdoor picture book that people in the past could "read" to learn about their faith. The details on these sculptures are incredible, showing how talented the artists were.

The Church of Saint Miliau

The church itself, dedicated to Saint Miliau, is also full of artistic treasures. It was mostly built in the 16th and 17th centuries. Inside, you'll find beautiful wooden carvings, colorful stained-glass windows, and detailed altarpieces called retables.

Amazing Wood Carvings

The inside of the church is famous for its detailed wooden sculptures. Look up at the pulpit, where the priest would give sermons. It's covered in carvings that show different scenes and figures. The baptistery, where people are baptized, is also made of carved oak. You can see amazing details like birds, snakes, and vines carved into its pillars. These carvings show the incredible skill of the local craftspeople from centuries ago.

Beautiful Retables

The church has several impressive retables. A retable is a decorated screen or panel behind an altar. The Retable of the Rosary and the Retable of St Joseph are particularly striking. They feature painted and carved scenes, often showing important religious figures like the Virgin Mary or St Joseph with the infant Christ. These artworks were meant to inspire people and teach them stories.

The Dallam Organ

The church also has a historic organ, built by the famous Dallam family of organ builders. Organs like this are complex musical instruments that create powerful sounds, filling the church with music during services.

The Ossuary

Near the church, you'll often find an ossuary. This building was used to store bones from the churchyard when graves needed to be reused. While it might sound a bit spooky, it was a common practice in the past and is often beautifully decorated with carvings, just like the rest of the close.