Timeline

Heritage classified

Origin and history

The cross of Charigny is a historical monument located in the village of the same name, Burgundy-Franche-Comté. Dated from the 15th century, it is located at the entrance of the village, as indicated by its sheet in the Mérimée base. This type of cross, common in medieval countryside, often served as a spiritual or memorial landmark, marking the public space or the boundaries of a parish. Its inscription as Historic Monument by decree of 22 March 1929 underlines its heritage importance and its preservation by the municipality.

In the 15th century, Burgundy was a dynamic region, marked by a rural life organized around parishes and seigneuries. The cross of paths or crossroads, such as that of Charigny, played a strong symbolic role: they recalled the presence of the Christian faith in daily space and sometimes served as a gathering place for processions or collective prayers. Their erection could also commemorate a local event, such as a surmounted epidemic or divine protection invoked, although the sources do not specify where appropriate for this cross.

The location of the cross, at the entrance of the village, suggests a function of reception or delimitation of the inhabited space. GPS coordinates and approximate address (14 Ancienne Route, 21140 Charigny) confirm its location along an axis of historical circulation, probably a road frequented by peasants, pilgrims or merchants of the time. Today, this monument remains the property of the municipality, which guarantees its preservation, even if its access or visibility to the public are not detailed in the available sources.

External links