Description: Phone: (33) 493 96 88 02
Open: June-Sept 9am-12pm, 2:30pm-6pm; Oct 9:15am-12pm, 2:30pm-5:30pm; Nov-15 Feb 9:30am-12pm, 2:30pm-5pm; 16 Feb-May 9:15am-12pm, 2:30am-5:30pm
Looking at the photo of this cathedral (see below) I always have this feeling of surreality. Imagine a Russian Orthodox church built in the best traditions in the middle of Mediterranean with tropical trees and flowers surrounding it! That is what I call "out of space". Yet it is part of Nice as everything else.
The church was built from 1903 to 1912, and it harmoniously blends red brick with light-grey marble and bright-colored mosaics. The church has 6 onion-shaped cuppolas, and as any Russian church has amazing works of art inside: many precious icons, woodwork and frescoes. But the outside is as amazing. The church was built by architect M.T. Preobrajensky in the memory of the tsarevitch (Grand Duke) Nicolas Alexandrovitch who died in Nice in 1865. There is a plack on the side of the church saying both in Russian and French that it was built by order of tsar Nicolas II. The cuppolas and the mosaics are mainly in yellow and blue colors. The windows are surrounded by green mosaics. Inside the iconostasis is really gorgeous. Entrance is 12FF and you just have to see the church. The church has services as well and you might want to come in in the evening around 6 pm to listen to the mass.
You can always see buses of tourists near the church. To the side of it there is an older church that is now closed, yet is still a very pretty building and is worth having a look.
Close