Sunday 14 December 2014

Church on Sunday... Saint Léonard de Fougères


When we didn't get to see the fortress at Fougeres we were slightly compensated with a visit to the town's hilltop church of  Saint Leonard's. It is another church built in a variety of styles over many centuries.The religious origins for the site date back to the 12th century but today's church is firmly rooted in the 15th and 16th. The Gothic facade was added at the end of the 19th century.


The church has a wide nave flanked by two side aisles...


 ...leading to a fine ornate altar.


Looking back towards its pretty rose window.


There are some fine examples of stained glass, mainly 20th century but the church actually contains the oldest example of stained glass in Brittany (12th century) in a widow (bottom left) in the south chapel that came from the abbey of Saint-Denis near Paris, apparently 'donated' by a parishioner after the Revolution (?) 
 

Where's Joan?

Did you notice her in the window above?



 Outside the church there are some pretty gardens built into the hillside of its lofty position offering views over towards the castle  - which was closed (did I tell you that?).









No comments:

Post a Comment