Caserne Lympia, Heritage monument and former prison at Nice Port, France.
Caserne Lympia is a historic structure at Nice's port featuring a vaulted gallery with arcades running along its interior. The building sits at the eastern end of the harbor on Quai d'Entrecasteaux with thick stone walls and arched passages.
The building was constructed in 1750 as a tool storage facility during the port's expansion. It later served as a prison under Sardinian rule before becoming a French administrative office.
The name Lympia comes from the port itself, reflecting the water's importance to the city. Today visitors experience temporary exhibitions and see how the harbor shaped local identity through displayed artworks and collections.
The renovated facility is accessible from Wednesday through Sunday, with hours that vary depending on the season. Visitors should check current schedules in advance since the spaces are used for rotating art exhibitions and may have limited access during setup periods.
This building is one of the few surviving prison facilities on mainland France that retains its original 19th-century architecture and design elements. Original features like stone benches and cell structures offer visitors a rare look at daily conditions from that historical period.
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