We have investigated crystal structure, dielectric and magnetic properties of BiCrO3. The structure of BiCrO3 at room temperature is a highly distorted perovskite-type one with monoclinic C2 symmetry which is the same as that of the ferroelectric phase in BiMnO3. BiCrO3 undergoes a structural phase transition from orthorhombic Pnma with centrosymmetty to monoclinic C2 without centrosymmetry at 440 K. It accompanies a dielectric anomaly, implying a ferroelectric transition. BiCrO3 exhibits a parasitic feffomagnetism at 114 K. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.