Last modified: 2007-02-08 by ivan sache
Keywords: finistere | landivisiau | lion (black) | mascles: 14 (yellow) | lozenges: 14 (yellow) | rohan |
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![[Flag of Landivisiau]](../images/f/fr-29-la.gif)
Flag of Landivisiau - Image by Arnaud Leroy, 15 September 2002
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Landivisiau (8,000 inhabitants) is located between Brest and Morlaix, in northern Brittany.
The name of the town means "the area devoted to St. Thivisiau". The
prefix lan- is common in Breton place names. Lampaul,
Landévennec, Landerneau, and Lannion were areas dedicated to
St. Pol (Paul), St. Wenn (Gwénolé), St. Ernoc and St.
Yon, respectively.
If you visit the St. Ann's chapel in the cemetery of Landivisiau, be
careful because you will see a caryatid showing the Ankou. The
Ankou is the traditional Breton representation of the Death.
It is a skeleton usually armed with an arrow or a scythe. The
Ankou drives nightly a barrow loaded with the bodies of the
deads. If you meet the Ankou, prepare to be scythed and loaded
into the barrow.
The Breton poet and novelist Xavier Grall (1930-1981) was born in
Landivisiau.
Landivisiau is the heart of the Pays Julot. In the XVIth century,
luxury bedsheets made in Landivisiau were called julles, and
those who manufactured and sold them were called Julots.
Landivisiau is now the capital city of the Breton draft horse.
Ivan Sache, 15 September 2002
According to P. Rault (Les drapeaux bretons de 1188 à nos jours [rau98]), the flag of Landivisiau is based on the municipal arms. These arms, dating back to 1482, show the canting lion of Léon and the mascles of the Rohan family, former Viscounts of Léon. The black borders are not part of the original coat of arms.
Ivan Sache, 15 September 2002