Saint Nicolas
The orthodox Saint Nicolas cathedral is a monument out of the ordinary. Situated in the heart of Nice, surrounded by palm trees and luxury apartments, it proudly displays its five golden domes, which is conform to those that decorated the Russian churches at the end of the 16th century. The cathedral is witness to Russian establishment on the Riviera at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. It is said to be one of the most beautiful orthodox buildings in Europe, outside of Russia.
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A growing number of visitors come to Nice to admire the cathedral, even during the festive season. It is said that the cathedral is so beautiful, with its mosaic facade, that it is capable of tearing the tourists away from the beach for a moment!
History
It is in 1896, after a visit to Nice, that the Empress Marie Féodorovna confided the task of constructing a church, sufficiently large to welcome all the believers that have been expatriated to the Riviera, to her son, the Tsar Nicolas. In 1901, the funds collected permitted the acquisition of a piece of land on the corner of Verdi and Rivoli street. Unfortunately, at the laying of the foundation, it was discovered that the soil would not allow for such a construction. The Tsar then decides that the cathedral will be built in Bermond Park, which belonged to him. In April 1905, the first bricks were laid. It took nine years before the cathedral was completed. It should also be mentioned that the main architect, the Professor Préojabensky, was not in Nice so that he could supervise the progress of the construction!
Since the construction of Saint Petersburg, he was content with only giving his recommendations to the architects of Nice and leaving them to their own devices. Another obstacle that slowed down the construction of Saint Nicolas was the war between Russia and Japan in 1905. This caused the Empire to run out of funds and forced the Tsar to use the funds of his private chancellery.
The cathedral was inaugurated 17 December 1912 in the presence of the some members of the imperial family. Despite the absence of Préojabensky, Saint Nicolas was built with great precision. The labour and material was carefully chosen. The clear brown bricks used for the façades were all produced in the same factory. This factory was the only one to use a clay with a shade that was resistant to all the elements. Amazing frescos and woodwork can be discovered on the inside of the cathedral. Also, take some time to admire the iconoclast, a real masterpiece that took more than a year to complete.
In the park which surrounds Saint Nicolas's Cathedral, make a point of stopping at the modest commemorative church erected in memory of the great Duke Nicolas Alexandrovitch, who died in Nice in 1865. Compared with splendours of its older sister, the modesty of the vault gets a certain emotion... |
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Hotels close to
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