Top architectural sightseeing and landmarks of Nice - ideas on city exploration routes

» 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.

» The Hotel Negresco is a famous de luxe hotel built on the English embankment in Nice. It is designed in a neoclassical style and is the symbol of the Cote d’Azur.
»  The hotel was opened in January 1913 and was named after its owner Henri Negresco.
»  Some of the famous visitors of the Negresco Hotel were Coco Chanel, Ernest Hemingway, and Marlene Dietrich.
»  At the hotel, there are 121 rooms and 24 apartments designed in different styles. The rooms on each floor are decorated in a particular style. For instance, the first floor is decorated with paintings of the 20th century. The second one is designed in the style of Louis XV, the fourth one - in the Empire style, the fifth one - in the style of Napoleon III.
»  At the hotel, there is the Chantecler restaurant that often receives prestigious awards from eminent restaurant guides.

» The Nice Observatory is located on the summit of Mount Gros. It started to be built by banker Rafael Bischofsheim in 1879.
»  In the main building of the observatory, there is a 76-cm telescope that was the biggest in the world at that point.
»  In total, there are 15 buildings in the observatory. Labs are located on a hilltop. Residential buildings, libraries, and workshops are located in a lowland area, opposite the labs.
»  In 1988, the observatory was united with the Geodynamics and Astrometry Research Center. Nowadays, young specialists are trained here.
»  The mountain, on which the observatory is located, has an excellent view of the city. Every year, many tourists are attracted by not only the scientific institution, but also by a part. The main dome of the observatory drowns in its greenery.

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Facts: » The Villa Valrose is one of the most interesting aristocratic constructions in Nice. It is designed in a New-Gothic style.
»  The castle is located on a hilltop, in the Rose Valley. It was built for Russian baron Pavel von Derwies.
»  The construction lasted from 1867 to 1870. It cost one million gold francs. So, an impressive extravagant castle was built. Its frescoes, crystal chandeliers, expensive interior elements, and precious pieces of art add luxury.
»  In the castle, there is also a concert hall with 400 seats where different concerts and even opera performances are held. Also, there is a real Russian wooden hut that is still one of the main attractions in the park.
»  When the baron died, the castle belonged to banker Putilov. It became the property of the city in the middle of the 20th century.
»  In 1965, the Faculty of Sciences and the rectorate of Sophia Antipolis University were established in the Villa Valrose.

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Facts: » La Bibliotheque Louis Nucera was opened in 2002 and was named after the writer who lived in Nice in the 20th century.
»  It is a central library in the city. It consists of two buildings: la Tete Carree, an administrative building, and a library building. They are located close to each other. The administrative building of the library has the shape of a “square head”. la Tete Carree is not open for visitors. In the library, there are over 200 000 publicly available documents. Anyone can join the library.
»  It services adults and children. Its administrative building has long become the symbol of Nice and one of the most unusual buildings in the world.