Schmap Nice Historical Background

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Nice - Historical Background
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Nice Home

Nice was already in existence in prehistoric times, but we can only paint a detailed picture of its past from antiquity onwards. After many a century of commercial activity and invasion, Nice gradually began, in the 18th and 19th centuries, to take the shape we know today - as a city of major touristic import.

400,000 Years Old

Nice is a very old lady indeed... 400,000 years ago man had already settled this "beloved land" to which the museum Terra Amata bears witness. Primitive settlers, the very first inhabitants of Nice, established themselves at the base of Mont-Boron, in a cave known as the Grotte du Lazaret, where they lived in the company of ibex, stags, oxen and elephants, and carved weapons out of the limestone rock.

Nikaia

Several thousand years elapsed in peaceful evolution, until Nice eventually gained its name in the 4th century BC when the Massaliotes won a memorable victory over the Barbarians on site. The victorious Greeks hailing from Marseilles (200km from Nice) named the colony founded on the shore Nikaia, which literally means "giver of victory." Being the closest port of call from the island of Cyrnos (present-day Corsica), it became a Massaliote beachhead as well as an important commercial trading post. The beginnings of the new town were established not at the foot of Mont-Boron, as in prehistoric times, but on the slopes of the Château hill.

Roman Occupation

At this time, Nice was a small stronghold which protected The Port using her natural defences – the Colline du Château. The few hundred inhabitants were mainly merchants under the authority of magistrates nominated by Marseilles.

Roman occupation can be traced back to 14 BC – the start of the Roman Empire. At this time the Romans effectively built a second town, Cemenelum, on Cimiez hill. Once it had become the county seat for the Alpes-Maritimes military government, Cimiez quickly became a strategic centre. The lower parts of the town, close to The Port and climbing the Château hillside, lived in the shadow of Cimiez for the next few centuries.

In the 6th century, Nikaia gained the upper hand over Cemenelum, which disappeared with the fall of the Roman Empire, while Nikaia, the low town, became part of the French empire, asserting its importance through maritime commerce.

While almost no traces of the Massaliotes remain, the Romans left many. Via Julia Augusta, linking Nice to Vinitmille 37km away, is just one, and you can admire the Trophée d'Auguste – a magnificent construction with four well-preserved columns, which offers a great panorama at Turbie. It symbolises the submission of the Alpine peoples to Roman rule, representing the first stage of conquests in the valleys. Emperor Augustus can also be credited with setting up the region's first real administrative organisation. Finally, the most manifest remains of the Roman presence in Nice are the well-preserved Roman amphitheatres and baths which you can visit around the site of Archeological Museum, on the hill.

Attempts to Conquer & Civil War

In 813 the town was sacked by the Sarrasins, who managed to conquer the whole of eastern Provence on the Côte des Maures. It was only in 972 that Guillaume, the Compte de Provence, managed to rout them. The commercial activity of the lower town intensified and in 1176 the first town charter was drawn up.

With the death of Queen Jeanne de Provence in 1382, civil war broke out at a time when Nice was the third biggest town in Provence after Arles and Marseilles. Six years later, the people of Nice chose to place themselves under the protection of the Compte de Savoie, Amédée VII, in what was called the "inedict" of 1388. Nice became a strategic stronghold for the Savoy Counts, and the town was instrumental in assisting their defence against the French and their allies.

In 1543 the Turkish fleet tried in vain to conquer the city. Local washerwoman turned symbolic figure Catherine Ségurane, instigated a particularly unusual form of defence. Legend has it that she lashed out with a carpet beater to send them running...while showing them her behind!

Baroque Art

The 17th century witnessed the flourishing of baroque art in Nice. Façades were painted in warm reds and yellows, ochre and burnt sienna; doorways and window sills were given contrasting colours and the woodwork was painted in cold blues and greens. The restoration of the façades over the last few decades has returned Nice to its former baroque glory. Other striking examples of this artistic tradition are the churches of the old town like Cathédrale Sainte-Réparate.

'Tug of War': France V Sardinia

At the end of the 17th century, in 1691 and 1705, the French army twice destroyed Nice's defences and the castle was razed to the ground. In 1713, the town again retreated to the protection of the Duke of Savoy, who had also become King of Sardinia.

Between the French Revolution and the Empire (1792-1814), the Alpes-Maritimes region was created and annexed to France. By the same token, Nice was also returned to the French, but this time with the assent of the people.

With the fall of Napoleon, Nice again came under the sway of Sardinia, but the language and culture distanced it further and further from Italy. On March 24, 1860, Napoleon III and Victor-Emmanuel II, King of Sardinia, agreed that Nice would be handed over to France once and for all, a decision that met with universal approval from the inhabitants. A remarkable economic boom ensued; roads were built, the railway arrived, and the population underwent explosive growth.

Tourism

At the same time, winter tourism, which had started to develop in the mid-1700s with the arrival of the British aristocracy, gathered ground. In 1827 the town received some 600 winter-holiday makers, coming from all over Europe to enjoy the gentle climate. The latter part of the 19th century and the run up to the First World War was something of a heyday, to which the prolific and luxurious belle époque residences attest. Nice was the playground of the rich and famous, but with the aftermath of the Second World War, mass tourism grew and the trend was reversed – the resort town is now a summer holiday spot for sunseekers who come to sunbathe on the beaches. Today tourism is a vital and fundamental part of the local economy, a fact borne out by the airport – the second largest in France – and the vast array of hotels.

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Catherine Ségurane Monument

A symbolic figure in the history of Nice

Place St-Augustin
Nice, Provence-Alpes-Côted'Azur 6300
France

Catherine Ségurane is a symbolic historical figure in the city of Nice, which has named one of its streets (where the antique shops are to be found) after this famous washer-woman or lavandière. Several metres away you'll find a small commemorative plaque in honour of this courageous young lady. In many ways Nice's equivalent of Joan of Arc, Catherine Ségurane is said to have played a major role in saving the city from its Turkish assailants during the siege of August 1543. She symbolises the courage of the women of Nice during these hostilities. Legend has it that this lavandière made the enemy flee by showing them her behind! The memorial built in her honour in 1923, designed by Bagotti, can be found just opposite Saint Augustin church where people come on November 25th each year to pay her tribute.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Catherine Ségurane Monument photo by Paphio

Photo: Paphio

Catherine Ségurane Monument photo by Nantonos

Photo: Nantonos

Château Hill

Popular park in the heart of the city Montée du Chateau
Nice, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur 6300
France
+33 (0)4 9392 8282 (Tourist Information) Situated on the hill between the old town and the harbour, this park is a favourite with locals and tourists alike. Surrounded by a typically Mediterranean backdrop of pine trees, carobs, figs, and aloes, the park's impressive waterfall, children's play area, breathtaking views over the city, medieval ruins and Maritime Museum are all part of its appeal. Get here on foot, by car or take the lift from Rue des Ponchettes at the foot of Bellanda Tower. Admission is free.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: Christophe Borgers
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Cimiez

Nice
France
The hill at Cimiez is still the most fashionable residential area of Nice. As well as the pleasant villas and well-manicured gardens, two aspects of Nice's past can be found here--the remarkable Roman amphitheatres, which play host to the annual Jazz Festival, and some very well-preserved Roman baths (this visit can be combined with the adjoining Archeological Museum). Le Régina, an enormous Hôtel now divided into apartments, recalls the other important era of Cimiez's past--the belle époque. Matisse also spent the last years of his life here, and there is a museum dedicated to his paintings a little further up the hill. Those who wish to visit the Matisse Museum might also enjoy the impressive canvasses at the Marc Chagall Biblical Message Museum.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Cimiez Museum and Archaeological Site

Vestiges of ancient Nice 160 Avenue des Arènes de Cimiez
Entrée avenue Montecroce
Nice, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur 6000
France
+33 4 9381 5957
http://www.nice.fr/mairie_nice... Situated on one of the city's most prominent hills, far from the hustle and bustle of the town center, Nice's archaeological museum is renowned for its remarkably well-preserved Roman baths dating back to the 2nd & 3rd centuries C.E. Objects on display, such as vases and jewelery, have either been found during excavations or brought in from other sites. A small boutique offers a range of books on the 'Cemenelum' (Cimiez) site and Nice in general, as well as reproductions of some museum pieces. Free for everyone the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Cimiez Museum and Archaeological Site photo by wcities
Photo: wcities

Mont-Boron/Mont-Alban

Nice
France
To get to Mont-Boron, even though it is still part of Nice, you'll have to take a car or use public transport, unless you feel like a long walk (it is a pleasant one though, through Mediterranean landscapes and pretty belle époque houses). However you travel, you'll pass the Terra Amata Museum of Paleontology, which explores the prehistoric activity in this area. The view of Nice from Mont-Boron is fantastic; most of the postcards depicting a panorama of Nice are photographed from this point. Singer Elton John certainly had the right idea when he bought his huge yellow villa at the top of neighbouring Mont-Alban.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Terra Amata Paleontology Museum

Prehistoric man & nature 25 Boulevard Carnot
Nice, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur 6300
France
+33 (0)4 9355 5993
http://www.musee-terra-amata.org Not far from the port, the modern building housing this little museum stands on the very place where the 400,000 year old prehistoric site of Terra Amata was discovered. The exhibition describing prehistoric fauna, flora, climate and tools, is educational and easy to understand. Information is in French and English, and selected exhibits are translated into Italian and German. At the end of the visit, a series of small models recreate the evolution of prehistoric man's environment.

Review © 2007, Wcities

The Port

Nice
France
The atmosphere of this district is unique. Fuelled by the prevailing calm and air of authenticity, it creates the illusion that you're no longer in one of the biggest cities in France. There are a few great little restaurants serving specialities of the region, including Pipo Socca and Fjord where the locals like to eat. The port district, especially around Rue Ségurane, is also home to antique dealers such as Ginac. Crammed full of treasures, they are sure to delight. But the port itself is just as deserving of your attention. From the quayside you can enjoy the sight of brightly coloured little fishing boats moored next to millionaires' yachts, ferry boats and cruisers.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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