| History of Quimper |
|
|
History of Quimper - Apercu de la cathédrale
|
History of Quimper - Pan de bois
|
|
|
| Quimper
is the current prefecture of Finistère and shelters approximately 67
000 inhabitants. It is a town of confluences as evoked by its history. |
 History of Quimper - Cathédrale saint Corentin
on the Odet River, Quimper was always a sheltered site and a crossing
area. Since the Roman conquest, settled at the edge of the Odet,
downstream the present site of the city, a small urbanized centre
around a port open to the Mediterranean world. This activity will
become one of the main characteristics of the city until the middle of
the twentieth century. A little later, the Breton immigrants privilege
another centre for their settlement, upstream (in Breton dialect:
Kemper). |
The choice of Quimper as Episcopal seat promotes the urban
development of the city already residence place of the powerful Count
of Cornouaille. Since the 13éme century, the construction of the
cathedral and the belt of ramparts surround the city. The building site
of the Saint-Corentin cathedral extends over several centuries making
of it one of the major edifices of the Gothic art in Brittany.
Moreover, this cathedral is undoubtedly the jewel of the monuments of
Quimper. It was built since the 13th century and is regarded as one the
5 most beautiful cathedrals of Brittany. |
