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The Saint-Remy Church
This was classified as an historic monument on July 20 th 1908.
Built in the 13 th century, probably as early as 1230, on basilica style, the church of Selongey is a large monument : 48.5 metres long, 24.4 metres wide and 8 metres high under a vaulted roof. The choir measures 10 m (length) by 9.75 (width).
The building has been reorganized, restored and enlarged several times. In the 14 th century, the choir was widened and became a transept, an apse added. Of the former choir, only a mullioned window (dating from the XIII th century) remains. Of the 13 th century church, there remains only a section consisting of three naves between the west porch and the present steeple. This steeple erected in the XIV th century was moved to the eastern end of the church. The bays on either side of the present choir were added in the XV th century. From 1557, the present half-nave, known as the Virgin and Saint Vincent Chapel, was re-built. The main door opens onto the former churchyard and dates from 1604.
The present choir was rebuilt in the XVIII th century, after an accidental crumbling. It was reconstructed in a lighter material but architecturally, it is not in harmony with the rest of the church. Five large windows light the choir of the church.
You enter the church through a beautiful arched trefoil panelled door framed by small columns which are alternately ringed, concave or convex. Inside, the squat pillars have a very special feature : at the top of each pillar, is a painting representing one of the apostles. The various chapels are vaulted with prismatic penetrating ribs and lit by reflecting-glass windows.
Of the numerous objects in the church the most interesting are :
a multi-coloured stone statue of the Virgin dating from the XV th century,
There are still more treasures to discover when you visit the church.
In the sacristy, there is a safe locked behind a XV th century door with wrought iron bars.
In the steeple, which you can reach by means of the inner door of the turret, there is a famous chime dating from the XIV th century. It consists of 48 bells, one of which is visible from outside. This bell is now silent but it used to be called "the bawler" because it was used to warm people of impending danger or some significant event. The bawlers are now very rare and there is something very special about them : their width is more important than their height and their sound is aggressive. The 48 bells were finally assembled on October 29 th 1979 thanks to the generosity of Frédéric Lescure. The total weight of the molten metal was estimated to be 7860 Kg.
The Sainte-Gertrude Chapel
Erected in 1530, it was built on the site of an older chapel or an earlier pagan building thanks to a benefactor, a sheet merchant from Nivelle. It is located in Montagny, a quarter of a league away from Selongey.
It was consecrated by the Cardinal de Givery, bishop of Langres.
It is composed of two porticoes with colonnades with an altar dedicated to the departed who is situated at the east entrance.
Inside, there is the statue of "Saint Gertrude" recognizable by the mice running up her coat and an altar of Saint Reine. Saint Gertrude de Nivelle, an abbess, was born in 626 and died in 659 at the age of 33. She proved to be the mother of orphans, she gave comfort to prisoners and foreigners. People invoke her aid for the safety of travellers but also against the damage caused by mice and field mice. She was the daughter of Pépin de Landen, mayor of "Palais", at the time of the Merovingians and she belongs to the family of Charles Martel, Pépin le Bref and Charlemagne.
The Sainte-Anne Chapel
Situated to the north of Selongey, it dates from 1637 and was restored in 1724.
Around this chapel, plague and cholera victims were buried in 1854.
A terrifying monster or a huge poisonous snake is said to have lived in the neighbouring coomb. This tradition must be a surviving memory of the existence of huge prehistoric animals.
In 1793, a child named Nicholas Roth, aged six and a half, was devoured by wolves when he came with four of his friends to pick blackberries.
Inside, there is a statue of Saint Roch.
At the side of the road leading to the Saint Gertrude Chapel, there is an "ecce-homo" in a sort of pity niche. It is known in this area as the God of Pity.
It represents the Christ, seated with his feet and hands tied up with a crown of thorns, just as Ponce Pilate showed him to the crowd at the beginning of the "passion". This expressive statue made of stone is attributed to the master sculptor of the Saint Michel school in Dijon.
In the past, Thibaut de Billebaudet and his wife Catherine de Martinecourt erected it against the wall of the parish church. A Latin and Greek inscription reads on the pedestal (from 1602) : "Billebaudet fac(it), divine lord, remember me, there is the man".
The old houses
In the heart of the village are several old houses.
The best preserved are two houses dating from the XV th and XVI th centuries with stairs ascending within their round or octagonal towers. They are situated "Place des Halles" and "Rue Géliot"
The house called "the house of Templars" has a circular chimney dating from the XIV th century.
In the city hall, there is a beautiful vac safe plated with stylish hinges in the style of François 1er.
