Temple de Lanleff

Lanleff’s temple is a pink sandstone ruin located in Lanleff, Brittany. It is a round church, reminiscent of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

The exact age of this building is unknown. The earliest known references to the building is from 1148 when the Lord of Châtelaudrien donated it to the Benedictine monastery of Saint Magloire de Léhon. Though scholars have debated the exact origins, it likely dates back to the early 11th century.

Only a few parts of the church remain standing today: two out of three chapels and parts of the exterior wall. The structure was built in a primitive Romanesque style. It consists of two concentric walls separated by a corridor. A series of arches are supported by 12 ornamented pillars.

One of the most interesting features of the temple at Lanleff is its art. More than 140 decorative elements can be seen in the ornamentation of the capitals and the bases of the columns. These include geometric motifs, animals, and people. One of the better known pieces at the temple is known as “modest Adam.”