Nice Cathedral, Nice, France - SpottingHistory.com

Nice Cathedral was built between 1650 and 1699, the year of its consecration. It is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and Saint Reparata.

On the site, the first cathedral was consecrated in 1049. In 1060, relics belonging to St. Reparate (For whom the current cathedral is named) arrived in the city of Nice. By the year 1075 there was construction of a chapel dedicated to St. Reparate. During the later half of the twelfth century, the chapel became the priory of the abbey of Saint-Pons.

The next church on the site was built in the early 13th century on land belonging to the Abbey of St. Pons and became a parish church in 1246.

During the first half of the 16th century a series of acts gradually effected the transfer of the seat of the bishops of Nice from Cimiez Cathedral on the hill of the castle overlooking the city to the church of Saint Reparata which in 1590, after an official ceremony presided over by the then bishop, Luigi Pallavicini, and in the presence of Charles Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy, was recognised as a chiesa-cattedrale.

However, in 1649, judging the building too small, bishop Didier Palletis commissioned the architect Jean-André Guibert to produce a structure more in keeping with the importance of the city. 1650 to 1685, The construction of a new cathedral (The current main building) occurs during this time. In 1699 the new cathedral is officially consecrated but the construction is an ongoing process.

From 1731 to 1759 the now widely recognized bell tower is built. 1900 marked the most recent addition to the cathedral with the construction of new side chapels which replaced the former heavy baroque ornamentation. The cathedral was declared a minor basilica on 27 May 1949.

References:

Wikipedia

User Reviews

Trevor Winstone (2 years ago)
A nice Cathedral located with the beautiful Vieux-Nice.

David Sugden (2 years ago)
Beautifully decorated and moving for those of religious mindset. The organist was practicing today, which added to the atmosphere. Well worth half an hour of your time!

Alan Pembshaw (2 years ago)
A stunning baroque cathedral set on a lovely square in the old city. Many beautiful artworks and statues and a magnificent dome. Much lovelier than the more modern cathedral in the commercial centre of Nice and cettainly more calm and serene. A must-see in the old city

dijana palada (2 years ago)
Baroque Roman Catholic cathedral dedicated to Saint Reparata. Beautiful cupola.

The Aardvark Arrives (2 years ago)
If you're a tourist looking around Nice, it's almost compulsory to drop into the Cathedral. The exterior is attractive, with a beautifully tiled Dome and an elegant Bell Tower. But prepare yourself for the Baroque interior - if you like over the top decor, you'll love this Cathedral.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright twiga-swala

Historic Site of the week

Heraclea Lyncestis

Heraclea Lyncestis was an ancient Greek city in Macedon, ruled later by the Romans. It was founded by Philip II of Macedon in the middle of the 4th century BC. The city was named in honor of the mythological hero Heracles. The name Lynkestis originates from the name of the ancient kingdom, conquered by Philip, where the city was built.

Heraclea was a strategically important town during the Hellenistic period, as it was at the edge of Macedon"s border with Epirus to the west and Paeonia to the north, until the middle of the 2nd century BC, when the Romans conquered Macedon and destroyed its political power. The main Roman road in the area, Via Egnatia went through Heraclea, and Heraclea was an important stop. The prosperity of the city was maintained mainly due to this road.

The Roman emperor Hadrian built a theatre in the center of the town, on a hill, when many buildings in the Roman province of Macedonia were being restored. It began being used during the reign of Antoninus Pius. Inside the theatre there were three animal cages and in the western part a tunnel. The theatre went out of use during the late 4th century AD, when gladiator fights in the Roman Empire were banned, due to the spread of Christianity, the formulation of the Eastern Roman Empire, and the abandonment of, what was then perceived as, pagan rituals and entertainment.

Late Antiquity and Byzantine periods

In the early Byzantine period (4th to 6th centuries AD) Heraclea was an important episcopal centre. A small and a great basilica, the bishop"s residence, and a funerary basilica and the necropolis are some of the remains of this period. Three naves in the Great Basilica are covered with mosaics of very rich floral and figurative iconography; these well preserved mosaics are often regarded as fine examples of the early Christian art period.

The city was sacked by Ostrogoth/Visigoth forces, commanded by Theodoric the Great in 472 AD and again in 479 AD. It was restored in the late 5th and early 6th century. When an earthquake struck in 518 AD, the inhabitants of Heraclea gradually abandoned the city. Subsequently, at the eve of the 7th century, the Dragovites, a Slavic tribe pushed down from the north by the Avars, settled in the area. The last coin issue dates from ca. 585, which suggests that the city was finally captured by the Slavs. As result, in place of the deserted city theatre several huts were built.

The Episcopacy Residence was excavated between 1970 and 1975. The western part was discovered first and the southern side is near the town wall. The luxury rooms are located in the eastern part. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th rooms all have mosaic floors. Between the 3rd and 4th rooms there is a hole that led to the eastern entrance of the residence. The hole was purposefully created between the 4th and 6th century.

Do you know an ancient castle or magnificent church near you?

Why not share it with other people interested in history? You can add your own historic sites and attractions to SpottingHistory.com.

It's absolutely free, easy, and doesn't even need registration!

Upload data

Nice Cathedral

Address

Details

More Information

Rating

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

History of Guernsey & Jersey

Most beautiful castles in Lithuania

Cultural Landscape of Sintra, Portugal

Historic Site of the week

Heraclea Lyncestis

Late Antiquity and Byzantine periods

Looks like you are a history fan!