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Origin and history

The cross of Labessette is a monumental cross of lava stone erected in the 15th century, located at the crossroads of the departmental roads 72 and 612 on the town of Labessette (Puy-de-Dôme, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes). This monument, unique by its material and its shape, consists of a square base supporting a cylindrical barrel surmounted by a diamond openwork slab, where the branches of the cross are cut with tangential teeth. The two sides carry sculptures: a Christ soaked on the obverse and a Virgin crowned with the Child accompanied by angels on the reverse. Four bas-reliefs of characters adorn the rectangular part between the barrel and the cross.

Ranked under the title of historical monuments by order of 5 September 1905, the cross was slightly moved during the widening of the road, at an unspecified time. A notable feature is its upside up after this shift: Christ, initially turned towards the road, now turns his back on him. This detail reveals a human intervention after its creation, without significantly altering its original structure.

The monument illustrates late medieval religious art in Auvergne, where lava stone, a local material, was commonly used for sacred buildings. Its openwork diamond shape and fine sculptures – including angelos and characters in bas-relief – bear witness to remarkable craftsmanship. The cross, owned by the commune, remains a historical and cultural landmark for Labessette, marked by its early ranking in the early twentieth century.

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