Construction of the cross XVIe siècle (≈ 1650)
Estimated period of construction of the monument.
16 juin 1926
Registration as Historic Monument
Registration as Historic Monument 16 juin 1926 (≈ 1926)
Official decree protecting the monument.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Cross of 16s: registration by order of 16 June 1926
Origin and history
The 16th century cross, located on the Martigny road in Bonnecourt, is an emblematic monument of the Grand East region. Dating from the Renaissance, it illustrates the rural religious heritage of this period, marked by a strong presence of Christian symbols in the countryside. This type of cross, often erected at intersections or on paths, served both as a spiritual landmark and as a territorial marker for travellers and local residents.
Classified as a Historical Monument by decree of June 16, 1926, this cross belongs today to the municipality of Bonnecourt. Its registration reflects its heritage value, although its exact location is considered approximate (accuracy noted 5/10 in the databases). At the time of its construction, the sixteenth century was a period of transition for the Champagne-Ardenne countryside, where agriculture and trade structured daily life.
The cross of paths, like this one, played a social and religious role, punctuating the landscapes and recalling the Christian faith in a context marked by the wars of Religion and the cultural transformations of the Renaissance.