Saint-Thégonnec

Saint-Thégonnec (French pronunciation: [sɛ̃ teɡɔnɛk]; Breton: Sant-Tegoneg) is a former commune in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune Saint-Thégonnec Loc-Eguiner.^[2]

Saint-Thégonnec Sant-Tegoneg
Part of Saint-Thégonnec Loc-Eguiner
Notre-Dame Church in parish close
Coat of arms
Location of Saint-Thégonnec
Saint-Thégonnec Show map of France Saint-Thégonnec Show map of Brittany
Coordinates: 48°31′19″N 3°56′43″W
Country	France
Region	Brittany
Department	Finistère
Arrondissement	Morlaix
Canton	Morlaix
Commune	Saint-Thégonnec Loc-Eguiner
Area 1	41.76 km2 (16.12 sq mi)
Population  (2019)[1]	2,723
• Density	65/km2 (170/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal code	29410
Elevation	7–216 m (23–709 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

The village is noted for its very elaborate parish close, one of a number in the area, which include Guimiliau and Lampaul-Guimiliau.

Population

Inhabitants of Saint-Thégonnec are called Saint-Thégonnecois.

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% 1793 3,291 —     1800 3,291 +0.0% 1806 3,422 +4.0% 1821 3,563 +4.1% 1831 3,648 +2.4% 1836 3,836 +5.2% 1841 3,926 +2.3% 1846 3,962 +0.9% 1851 3,802 −4.0% 1856 3,588 −5.6% 1861 3,957 +10.3% 1866 4,050 +2.4% 1872 3,681 −9.1% 1876 3,548 −3.6% 1881 3,409 −3.9% 1886 3,215 −5.7% 1891 3,317 +3.2%

Year Pop. ±% 1896 3,073 −7.4% 1901 3,144 +2.3% 1906 3,206 +2.0% 1911 3,171 −1.1% 1921 2,980 −6.0% 1926 2,977 −0.1% 1931 2,719 −8.7% 1936 2,536 −6.7% 1946 2,532 −0.2% 1954 2,241 −11.5% 1962 2,159 −3.7% 1968 2,127 −1.5% 1975 1,986 −6.6% 1982 2,133 +7.4% 1990 2,139 +0.3% 1999 2,267 +6.0% 2008 2,630 +16.0%

Breton language

The municipality launched a linguistic plan through Ya d'ar brezhoneg on 25 March 2005.

Parish close

A parish close is an enclosed area around the parish church, including the church yard and a number of other features.

In common with others in the area, the Saint-Thégonnec close features a large ceremonial entrance arch, stressing the importance of the close as a focus for pilgrimage and pardons. An impressive calvary or crucifix forms the focus of the church yard. As at nearby Lampaul-Guimiliau, there is a separate charnel house or ossuary, with a life-sized tableau of the Entombment of Christ.

The interior of the church is exemplary of the local version of Baroque style, with a large quantity of polychrome sculpture and decoration, including a spectacular pulpit.

See Saint-Thégonnec Parish close

See also

• Communes of the Finistère department
• Parc naturel régional d'Armorique
• Yann Larhantec Sculptor of Calvaries including one in Saint-Thégonnec
• List of the works of the Maître de Plougastel
• List of the works of the Maître de Thégonnec

References

1. Téléchargement du fichier d'ensemble des populations légales en 2019, INSEE
2. Arrêté préfectoral 23 December 2015 (in French)

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  The church and entrance to parish close.
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  Ceremonial entrance arch.
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  Detail of calvary.
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  The choir.
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  Retable of the Rosary.
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  Retable of the Holy Sacrament.
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  Detail from the Entombment in the ossuary: St John the Apostle and the Virgin Mary.
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  Folding triptych of the Madonna and Child in the parish church.
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  St Mark, from a set of Four Evangelists decorating the pulpit.
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  Relief of St Luke on the pulpit.
• 
  Polychrome decorative moulding from the pulpit.
• 
  St Pol, an important Breton saint: polychrome statue in the parish church.
• 
  Polychrome statue of St Christopher and the infant Christ in the parish church.

Twin city

• Silverton, Devon, England, since 2008.

External links

• Base Mérimée: Search for heritage in the commune, Ministère français de la Culture. (in French)