Esplorando la storia di Nice

Nella Costa Azzurra si trova l'antica e storica città di Nice. Nice non è solo la città più grande della regione e la sua capitale non ufficiale, ma è anche il secondo luogo più visitato di tutta la Francia (il primo, ovviamente, è Parigi).

Nice ha una storia ricca e unica che non si può trovare in nessuna città europea. Intorno al 350 a.C., i guerrieri greci fondarono qui un insediamento permanente. In onore del loro successo, chiamarono la nuova città Nikaia, in onore della dea della vittoria Nike.

If you visit Nice, you’ll notice many Greek landmarks still littered around the city. The main Massena Square for example is home to a glorious marble statue of the Greek God Apollo. Similarly, climb the stairs of the castle hill and you’ll find yourself walking upon 13 mosaic decorated steps summarizing Homer’s Odyssey.

After the Greeks came the Romans, who settled in Nice’s historic neighborhood of Cimiez, which is calm and secluded, wafted by gentle sea breezes and blessed with incredible views. Head up to the gorgeous Jardins de Cimiez and you’ll discover the ruins of a what was once an ancient Roman Colosseum, a still-operating monastery, a cemetery, and a gorgeous 500-year-old olive garden. You can freely walk through the entire complex and immerse yourself in the city’s enriching ancestry.

In the 9th century, the Brothers of the Abbey of Saint-Pons(I monaci francescani) costruirono il monastero di Cimiez. Nel 1543, il convento dei frati francescani fu distrutto durante l'assedio di Nice. Tre anni dopo, acquistarono il monastero dalla confraternita dei Benedettini.

After the Revolution, the army turned it into a barracks and later into a military hospital. It would subsequently resume its original vocation under the Sardinian Restoration, and becomes a parish church under the direction of the monks. In the 19th century, the addition of neo-gothic facades and porches, gives it its current style.

In this 15th century church, you can admire three major paintings of the primitive Niçois painter Louis Bréa: a Pietà, the Crucifixion, and the Deposition. Also worth seeing is the imposing carved wood baroque altarpiece. The museum traces Franciscan life in Nice from the 13th century onwards and houses fascinating frescoes and works of art.

The garden of the Monastery, with its rose garden and Mediterranean plants, is beautiful with a view that embraces a large part of the city, all the way to the sea. Henri Matisse, Roger Martin du GardERaoul Dufy are buried in the adjacent cemetery.

Dopo il crollo dell'Impero Romano, Nice rimase parte dell'Italia. Tuttavia, la situazione cambiò nel 1860. Come una sorta di dono, la Provenza italiana offrì alla Francia la città di Nice per il suo aiuto nella seconda guerra d'indipendenza italiana.

Having changed hands from Italian to French rule, the city of Nice developed its own language. A mixture of both the French and Italian languages, Niçan was born. While Niçan is no longer commonly spoken in Nice today, you will notice that all street signs in the Old Town are in both French and Niçan.

Dai un'occhiata al nostro list of Nice’s main historic sights e il nostro guide to the best art museums in Nice and along the French Riviera, to explore the city’s most impressive historic sites.