Construction of the cross XVIe siècle (≈ 1650)
Estimated period of implementation.
10 octobre 1920
Registration as Historic Monument
Registration as Historic Monument 10 octobre 1920 (≈ 1920)
Official protection order.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Cross of the 16th: inscription by decree of 10 October 1920
Origin and history
The 16th century cross located in the Cemetery of Celles-en-Bassigny is a historical monument inscribed since 1920. This type of religious building, frequent in the countryside of the time, served as both a spiritual landmark and a funeral marker for the local community. Its architectural style reflects the artistic influences of the Renaissance, a period marked by a revival of religious forms and symbols.
In the Renaissance, villages like Celles-en-Bassigny, then integrated into the Champagne-Ardenne region (now Grand Est), were organized around their church and cemetery. The monumental crosses played a central role in religious and social practices, serving as a gathering place for processions or prayers. Their presence in cemeteries also underlined the importance of the memory of the deceased in the daily life of the inhabitants, often farmers or artisans.
The protection of this heritage by the State at the beginning of the twentieth century bears witness to its historical and cultural value.
