The Basilica of Saint-Sauveur de Dinan is a Roman Catholic church situated in Dinan, France. Historically, it is one of the two parish churches in the town, the other being Saint-Malo.
The building's initial constructions date back to the 11th century. Following a reconstruction campaign initiated in 1480, a northern aisle was added to the nave, and the apse and transept were entirely rebuilt. The façade's upper parts were also reconstructed. Due to an interruption, only the southern nave wall and lower façade remain from the Romanesque church.
This reconstruction effort evidences the town's dynamism at the end of the Middle Ages. The decoration of the radiating chapels is a testament to the fusion of Gothic and Renaissance styles in Brittany during the early 16th century. The collapse of the bell tower in 1547 prompted changes to the church. As a result, the decision was made to not vault the choir, which was instead covered by a panelled roof.
The church also became a site of Marian devotion due to the presence of Notre-Dame-des-Vertus, a 15th-century bas-relief formerly housed in the Cordeliers convent in town. Local veneration of this depiction of the Assumption of the Virgin led to the building being designated a basilica minor by Pope Pius XII on May 23, 1954.
In addition to this, the building also has an abundance of furnishings, which includes a cenotaph containing the heart of Bertrand du Guesclin.
Location
The Basilica of Saint-Sauveur in Dinan is located in the French department of Côtes-d'Armor, in the commune of Dinan, in the heart of the (Protected area). It overlooks the Rance river. Behind the apse is the Jardin Anglais, a former cemetery.
History
Foundation legend
Legend has it that Riwallon le Roux, the lord of Dinan, founded the priory of Saint-Sauveur de Dinan in 1112 upon his return from the Holy Land. As the story goes, the knight was taken prisoner during the First Crusade and vowed to build a church in honor of Saint-Sauveur and the Holy Trinity if he ever returned home. Riwallon was the grandson of Josselin I of Dinan, the son of Olivier I of Dinan, and the brother of Geoffroy I of Dinan. However, no surviving documentation has confirmed this tale. A charter from 1123, which established the division of the town between Olivier II and Alain de Dinan, the founder's nephews, implies that the building and its cemetery were already the property of the abbey of Saint-Jacut. Alternatively, the priory might have been granted to the abbey in 1131 by a son of Geoffroy I de Dinan. The accuracy of these claims is uncertain as ancient records have been lost, and rely solely on local tradition. From 1123 onwards, Saint-Sauveur de Dinan and Saint-Malo were the two parishes of the town. The former was dependent on Saint-Jacut Abbey and the latter on Marmoutier Abbey, both coming under the jurisdiction of the diocese of Saint-Malo. Due to conflicts of jurisdiction arising between the two churches, it was decided that Saint-Sauveur would serve the southern part of the town, situated below the Rance bridge to the Jerzual gate. On the other hand, Saint-Malo was designated to serve the northern part. The boundary corresponds to the current streets of Petite Fort, Jerzual, and Lainerie, as well as the main street. Technical term abbreviations are clarified upon first use.
Late medieval reconstruction
The 11th-century church underwent significant renovations from 1480 onwards. Builders constructed a side aisle with a row of chapels to the north of the Romanesque nave, and rebuilt the upper level of the façade. Although a side aisle was planned to the south of the nave, it was never built. Instead, a small three-sided chapel was built on the former site of a doorway in 1500.
The apse was completely rebuilt from 1507 under the guidance of Roland Bougnard, a master builder. The entire apse was likely finished circa 1547 after the crossing tower crumbled. This disaster instigated a rebuilding initiative, which involved erecting buttresses to support the high choir. After completion in 1646, these areas were topped with a panelled roof structure, which was later substituted with a false plaster vault during the 18th century.
Church and parish in modern times
In modern times, Saint-Sauveur de Dinan and Saint-Malo served a population of 5,000 to 8,000 individuals with a strong religious presence. In the 18th century, there were up to 4,000 communicants in the parish of Saint-Sauveur alone.