Welcome on the official site of the Town of Gray
A rich patrimony
Gray and its many Cultural treasures
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Hôtel de Ville (Town Hall) :
One of the most beautiful Renaissance buildings in the Franche-Comté. It was established between 1567 and 1572. The facade is 37 m long and has two Corinthian columms in red marble from Sampans (Jura), nine arcades and a varnished coloured roof which is traditional in the Bourgogne.
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The Basilica :
The Basilica is located near the ancient fortress of the dukes of Bourgogne. It was restored in 1996 and is an important monument that We can see from any place in the town. The parish Church which was buikt between 1478 and 1559 and was consecrated as a Basilica in 1948 by Pie XII. The central nave is covered by a vault ribbed in stars wich places the edifice firmly in the Flamboyant tradition, unique in the region. The centar stained-glass window represents a Jesse Tree and was made in the mid-XVI century by the painters of popular pictures that worked in Brou up untill 1532.
In the Chapel situated in the left aisle there is a remarkable statue in alabaste of the dead Christ sculpted in 1553 by Claude Arnoux named Lulier. You also can see the pulpit in red marble from 1612 and all the importan paints such as « the Virgin giving a necklace to Ste Térèse d’Avila » painted by Mazzanti (1686-1775) , « the Annonciation » (1760) by Montesanto.
The statuette of « Our Lady of Gray » is retold in the images of the stained-glass window in the chapel (1807), on left of the chancel. The nave is dominated by the magnificent organ made by Claude Valentin, the organ builder in 1726, and was finished by Riepp de Dijon.
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The Theater :
After 10 years of reconstruction work, the Italian Theatre of Gray has been reopened to the public in the spring of 2006.
The restoration process of the interior is already finished, part of a study by Paul Barnoud, the head architect of Historical monuments. His work aims to cover up all the marks from the previous restorations and to recreate the original apperance of the theater.
It was built between 1846 and 1849, near the Tilleulus walk, by the Bisontine engineer J.-B. Martin. The façade is simple and inside the Theatre we can observe the amazing italian architecture and decoration, the dressing-rooms, the stage, the machinery, scenery (decor), the stage curtain and a magnificent roof that is illustrated with muses and bacchantes.
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The Convents :
In the 17th century several religious orders were founded in Gray: the Convent of the Tiercelines (1607), the Convent of the Ursulines in 1623 (with a magnificent door with a triangular front in the rue des Usules), the Convent of the Annonciades Célestes in 1631 (with its entrance and façade in front of the Basilica, in the Place de la Sous-préfecture), the Convent of the Visitadines (1636), the Convent of the Carmélites in 1644 (the chapel in the rue des Casernes), the Convent of the Carmes Déchaussées in 1645 (stone portal in the rue Victor Hugo) and last of all in 1667 the Jesuits took over the management to the College (Grande Rue Chapel).
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The Library :
The clerical property and precious collection were confiscated and declared as property of the nation in 1789. The majority of the manuscripts and first edition printed books came from the convents from the town and its surrondings. The first library was installed in the three rooms of the Convent of the Cordeliers (which no longer exists today). It was opened on the 30th mars 1798 and it contains about 12 000 volumes. At the start of the 19th century it was transfered to the Jesuits College and then was moved to a special building built attached to the Hotel de Ville in 1858.
The library began with theological books but over the years it was expanded to include philosophy, philology, Art, History, geography books, diaries from the expeditions, explorations, sciences, mathematics, physics… (in particular the works of Romé de L’Isle, A. Cournot, E.Bour…) and also curious and amazing works like the account registrations of the empress Josephine and Marie-Louise, kept by their steward Ballouhey, originaly from Citey. The library also has « elephant » formats with the descriptions of the Egypte made by Champillon.
The room, entirely restored in 1996, impresses visitors with its majestic apperance, wooden panneling and its higher gallery which is accessed by a spiral staircase.
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The Hôtel Dieu :
Established between 1716 and 1750 by the bisontine architect Jacques François Triparol. It was made according to a plan of a Greek cross and the chapel is situated in the centre of the cross. The apothecary is remarkable due to its wooden panels and its collection of 119 earthenware pots from the 17th, 18th, 19th centuries (from Neversn Igry and Haute-Saône).
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The Castle :
Reconstructed by Jeanne de Bourgogne, after the fire of 1324, all that remains of the medieval fortress are the fourteenth century castle cellars and tower of Paravis at the entrance. The castle became property of the king of France after he conquered the Franche-Comté in 1674. In the 17th century it was transformed into an attractive mansion with all her gardens.
The last royal owner was the count of Provence, Louis XVI’s brother. The mansion is decorated by moulded panellings, …..marble fireplaces and a glass room. After the Revolution it was almost destroyed and later it was completly modified by Alexandre Martin, baron of the empire and town mayor between 1805 and 1815. In 1901 it became possession of the town and it was later converted into a museum.
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The Carmelites Chapel :
The Carmélites came to Gray in 1644 and erected the chapel in 1667 and was consacrated in 1691. Since then and untill the mid of the 20th century it has had an important religious role. In 1978 was converted into a storehouse for sacred artworks from the different communities of the Haute-Saône. Inside the chapel there’s a permanent exhibition of magnificent works such as the « Vierge à l’Enfant » 15th century from the school of Bourgogne. On the first floor there is a different temporary exhibition each year.
The residences :
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The Gauthiot d’Ancier Hôtel : Completed between 1538 and 1548 it presents a façade to the street (4, rue du Marché) and it contains a unique revolving wooden staircase that take us to a hidden entrance of a small room in the upper part of the building. The room would have served as a private apartment which was once home to the famous preacher St. Pierre Fourier.
Maison 12, rue des Terreaux (House at number 12, Terreaux street) : Coverded by a polished roof, typicall in the region, it was constructed in 1566 by Jean Gauthiot d’Ancier. We can read the coat of arms of the family, at the second floor, on the berry decorated with a curved fronton.
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The Conflans Hôtel (Grande Rue) : Is originally from the first mid-16th century with a remarkable tour and a polygonal staircaise in stone.
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The Grenier Public (10-12, rue du Marché) : Constructed in the 16th century it has a Rainassance influence.
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