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Nice

Culture of Nice. Places to visit - old town, temples, theaters, museums and palaces

The center of Nice is the location of one of its main attractions - La place Massena. In the center of the square is installed a very unusual monument in the shape of an arc. Quite a notable fact - each guide and local resident has different explanations of the purpose and meaning of the arc. The reason for this is in the absence of legends about the origin of the monument. Besides the mysterious monument the square is full of beautiful fountains, amazing flower beds and cozy alcoves, in which it is so pleasant to stay in a hot day.
Discovering the architecture of Nice from bird's eye view! Sainte-Reparate Cathedral, Hotel Negresco, Nice Observatory, Villa Valrose, all those monuments are defining the image of Nice … Open
Not far away from the square are located beautiful historic buildings, which are also important sightseeing objects. Russian quarter is home to various religious sites and attractions of Nice. Here you will find Cathedral of St. Nicholas, a memorial chapel and a beautiful church located nearby. You should definitely not forget to walk along the boulevard of Nicholas II, which is also home to a beautiful church and several mansions. Among the cultural institutions that are worth visiting is Le Musee Matisse, which exhibits a rich collection of paintings of the great artist. Your visits to Museum of Fine Arts (Le Musee des Beaux-Arts) and Museum of New and Modern Art (Le Musee d'Art Moderne et d'Art Contemporain) will be no less unforgettable.
Chapel of Mercy Fortress is one of the most important architectural landmarks of the city. The construction of the fortress took place during the second half of the 18th century. The main decoration of the chapel is a skillful painting "Mercy of God" which, by assumption of historians, has been made by Louis Brea. It is also worth visiting the ancient Saint Reparata Abbey, the building of which was completed in 1576. Saint Reparata was the patroness of Nice. According to an ancient legend, she was brought to the city by angels. The name of another landmark of the city landmarks – the Bay of Angels – is connected with this beautiful legend. A beautiful park of Albert I remains the favorite place of rest for both locals and tourists. Beautiful architectural buildings, fragrant flowerbeds, mighty trees, ancient monuments and spacious terraces – you will simply not find a better place for evening walks. Copyright www.orangesmile.com
Notre-Dame de Nice, Musee Matisse, St. Jeanne d Arc Church, as well as many others, they all become the world's cultural heritage objects and remain as iconic monuments for Nice … Open
A walk in the cemetery is just as pretty as a walk in the park. This is no joke – the statement is true if the cemetery is a kind of masterpiece. Such is Cimetière du Monastère de Cimiez, which is located next to the Musee Matisse and Ancien Hôtel Régina. Many well-known and outstanding personalities have found rest here, and all the tombstones themselves are excellent examples of great taste. By the way, in addition to the Musee Matisse, in the home town of Giuseppe Garibaldi, you can stopover at the museum of another famous painter – Marc Chagall.
Nearby is another place that must be visited by all lovers of anthropology and history. We are talking about Musee Archeologique de Nice-Cimiez, where you can see the ruins of the amphitheater, baths, and fragments of streets. This place brings to mind the Roman period in Nice – the fact is that on the site of this area stood the Roman settlement of Cemenulum. Also in the museum you can look at traditional household items from that period. Crypte Archéologique – another place for lovers of anthropology – is located next to the Museum of Modern Art. Here you can see the ruins of the fortress towers and walls. Among other museums we will recommended for visiting, it is worth noting Palais Lascaris. The palace once belonged to the Laskaris-Ventimiglia dynasty and was built in the 18th century. The Genoese style was chosen. The first floor is used as a museum with a huge collection of pharmaceutical instruments and old musical instruments. Palais de Justice, looks striking with its neoclassical architecture. The thing is that there is something off about its exterior when it comes to the style of the entire ensemble, but in no way contrasts with the rest of the city. In its place at some point, was the Dominican monastery, which was destroyed in the year 1882.
Famous boulevard Promenade des Anglais (English Embankment) is, without a doubt, the most attractive and noteworthy part of Nice. The boulevard stretches for five kilometers, and keeps … Open
The pearl of modern architecture is considered to be La Tête Carrée. This is perhaps, one of the most unusual buildings, not only in Garibaldi’s hometown, but all over the world. It is a library, but a very unusual one. The thing is that the building is built in the form of a square head, and is a living embodiment of the saying “If you read too much, your head will explode”. Another amazing creation of the architectural genius located in Nice, is Palais de l’Agriculture which was built in the early 20th century. In the pearl of the French Riviera you can find a building completely uncharacteristic for the European city, that is the Cathédrale Orthodoxe Russe St-Nicolas. The church was built in the year 1912 and is a wonderful example of Orthodox architecture, being a kind of “exoticism” in the hometown of Michelle Mercier.
In the section below, you can get one of our excursion, activities or city discovery tours over Nice and surroundings. Our website offers 10-30% lower ticket prices, when compared to the offline purchase on the spot.

City tours, excursions and tickets in Nice and surroundings

Plan your own excursion through Nice: churches, museums and castles

Sainte-Reparate Cathedral, Nice

» Sainte-Reparate Cathedral was built in 1699 in honor of the patroness of Nice.
»  According to the legend, young Reparata from Palestine professed Christian faith and died in agony for this when she was 12 years old. Angels brought a boat with the young saint to Nice, to the shore of the Angel Bay that was named after this event.
»  The cathedral is located in an old part of the city. It is a typical construction built in baroque style.
»  The facade of the building is decorated with niches and saints’ statues. It is crowned with a dome decorated with colorful mosaics.
»  The bell tower that is located to the right of the entrance was built later, in the 18th century. Despite this, it fitted well into an architectural ensemble.
»  The interior of the cathedral is decorated with moldings, ornaments, and statues.

Russian Orthodox Cathedral, Nice

Location on the map:   Facts: » The Cathedral of St. Nicholas is an Orthodox church in Nice and one of the most famous attractions on the city.
»  According to the media, the cathedral is the biggest Orthodox temple in Western Europe.
»  The construction lasted from 1903 to 1912. At that time, the cathedral was under the Orthodox Russian Church.
»  The Romanovs’ generosity was reflected in the choice of construction materials. These were Italian granite, gilded crosses and dome, German bricks and facade mosaics from Florence.
»  The main relic of the temple is the miraculous icon of St. Nicholas. When the relics of St. Nicholas were transferred, the faded picture on the icon started brightening. Soon, everyone could see the miraculous icon of St. Nicholas with Christ and the Mother of God on both sides.

St. Jeanne d Arc Church, Nice

Location on the map:   Facts: » The church named after the Maid of Orleans was built in 1979.
»  The place for the construction of a new church was chosen not accidentally as it is here where Giovanna d'Arco was burned alive.
»  The church exterior is very unique so the building is unlike traditional temples.
»  The church resembles a fire with its shape. It symbolizes the heroine of France burned alive.
»  The construction lacks strict lines. The roof covering resembles scales.

Musee Matisse, Nice

» The Museum devoted to artist Henry Matisse deserves special attention. The museum is not only an art exhibition, but also a great artist’s house.
»  The museum collection includes not only his canvasses, but also his belongings. For example, you can see marble tables and Venetian rocking chairs here.
»  In total, the museum collection includes 236 drawings, 70 sculptures and a lot of paintings that depict the life of the great genius.
»  Near the museum, there is a small hotel named “Regina”. Matisse spent the last years of his life here. The view of the city the windows have inspired the artist for new works.
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What to visit during two-day excursion in Nice

Le Parc Floral de la ville de Nice
Where: 405, Promenade des Anglais, Nice; Telephone: +33 (0)4 92 29 77 00;
Musée National Message Biblique Marc-Chagall
Where: Avenue du Dr Menard, Nice; Telephone: +33 (0)4 93 53 87 20;
Musée d’art Moderne et d’art Contemporain
Where: Promenade des Arts, Nice; Telephone: + 33 (0)4 97 13 42 01;
Musée Matisse
Where: 164 avenue des Arènes, Nice; Telephone: +33 (0)4 93 81 08 08;
Russian Orthodox Cathedral
Where: Avenue Nicolas II, Nice;
Villa Arson
Where: 20 avenue Stephen Liegard, Nice; Telephone: +33 (0)4 92 07 73 73;
Reference information
Map of all palaces
Public palaces near Nice
♥   Palace 'The Prince’s Palace' , 12.8 km from the center. On the map   Photo
Map of all art museums
Art galleries in Nice and around
♥   Art museum 'Musée d art moderne et d art contemporain' Nice, 0.9 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Art museum 'Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nice' Nice, 1.6 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Art museum 'Musée Matisse' Nice, 2.3 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Art museum 'Musée des Arts Asiatiques' Nice, 5.5 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Art museum 'Fondation Maeght' Saint-Paul, Alpes-Maritimes, 12.3 km from the center. On the map   Photo
Map of all churches
Cathedrals and basilicas near Nice
♥   Sanctuaire national Notre-Dame Auxiliatrice, Nice, 1.5 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Ancienne cathédrale de la Nativité de Notre-Dame, Vence, 12.6 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Cathédrale Notre-Dame de L’Immaculée Conception, Monaco-Ville, 12.9 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Ancienne cathédrale Notre-Dame de la Platéa, Antibes, 17.3 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Basilique Saint-Michel Archange, Menton, 21.1 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Église Saint-Michel, Sospel, 24.4 km from the center. On the map   Photo
♥   Ancienne cathédrale Notre-Dame du Puy, Grasse, 27.9 km from the center. On the map   Photo
Car rental on OrangeSmile.com Rentals in Nice

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Photogallery of cultural heritage of Nice

Landmarks of culture on Nice map: art-galleries, monuments, palaces, etc

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Excursions over cultural sights of neighbours of Nice

Culture guide to Nice. Which fascinating sights to visit once you are in Nice: temples, churches, museums, theaters and castles. Recommendations (with addresses, phone numbers and links) on the places 'must visit' in Nice. Plan your own city excursion by using this page info!
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