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Heritage classified

Origin and history

The cross of the cemetery of Civria is located in the hamlet of Civria, dependent on the municipality of Val Suran in Burgundy-Franche-Comté. This Renaissance monument, dating from the second half of the 16th century or the beginning of the 17th century, is distinguished by its characteristic architecture: a curved square base supports an octagonal column surmounted by a flowered crusillon. The double iconography, typical of the time, represents a Crucifixion with the Virgin and St John to the west, and a Virgin with the Child to the east. This type of cross, common in rural cemeteries, illustrates post-Renaissance religious art mixed with local traditions.

Civria is an emblematic hamlet of the Petite Montagne Jurassienne, marked by traditional farms, a castle, a chapel with its cemetery, and a wash fountain. The cross, classified as Historical Monument by decree of 15 July 1997, is part of this rural heritage complex. Its style reflects the influence of local workshops, where sacred art blends with the artisanal know-how of the region. The accuracy of its location remains poor (level 5/10), but its anchoring in the cultural landscape of the Petite Montagne is undeniable.

The protection of the cross (Cadastre ZC 60) underlines its historical and artistic importance. Owned by the commune, it bears witness to the piety and community organization of the 16th and 17th centuries in the Jura. Cemeteries, often adjacent to chapels like here, served as gathering places and collective memory. Double iconography – Crucifixion and Virgin to the Child – symbolizes both redemptive suffering and hope, central themes of rural devotion of the time.

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