Monuments and churches
Over centuries of often turbulent history, Nice has retained the mark of each period in its walls...
In Ancient times, Greeks and Romans settled here, leaving various remnants and the ruins of Cimiez with its amphitheatre and baths... mediaeval remains on the Castle Hill and under Place Garibaldi where major archaeological excavations revealed an exceptional site retracing 700 years of history.
Baroque, followed by Classical art, is the first style to create a rich heritage that is a perfect example of this emphatic architectural manner.
Even today, the most creative remains the Belle Époque. The town spread into the hills, where wealthy winter visitors, from the European aristocracy and upper middle class, satisfies all their wishes and imagination. This gave rise to châteaux and palaces nestled in carefully designed leafy havens: Château de l'Anglais, baroque with oriental inspiration; the Fine Arts Museum; Château de Valrose, today's Science Faculty, one of Europe's finest campuses.
Religious architecture offers exceptional structures including Saint Reparata's Cathedral and the Miséricorde Chapel illustrating the Baroque style so typical of Nice (17th to 19 century). Old Nice is a major creative centre in the image of this city, so rich in 20th-century artworks.
