Russian Orthodox Cathedral, Nice, Eastern Orthodox Cathedral near Parc Imperial, Nice, France
The Russian Orthodox Cathedral is a large Eastern Orthodox church in Nice featuring six gilded cupolas crowned with crosses. The striking structure was built with brick and dominates the architecture of its surroundings.
The cathedral replaced an earlier Russian church as the local population of Russians in Nice grew during the early 1900s. Its construction reflected the city's transformation into a retreat for Russian elites and middle-class families seeking warmth and culture.
The interior displays elaborate frescoes, murals, and wooden carvings created by Russian craftsmen. Visitors can admire the ornate iconostasis, which reflects traditional Orthodox artistic practices.
The site is accessible during daytime hours and visitors should wear modest clothing as it remains an active place of worship. A museum in the crypt provides additional information about the building's history and religious significance.
The building was erected during a period when many Russian nobility and merchants used Nice as a winter retreat. Its design creates a stark visual contrast to the French Mediterranean surroundings, marking a Russian presence in the city's landscape.
Location: Nice
Inception: 1903
Architectural style: Russian Revival architecture
Made from material: brick
Part of: cathédrale Saint-Nicolas et chapelle du tsarévitch Nicolas Alexandrovitch
Address: avenue Nicolas-II
Website: http://sobor.fr
GPS coordinates: 43.70389,7.25389
Latest update: December 6, 2025 16:01
Nice reveals much more than its beaches and the famous Promenade des Anglais. This collection invites you to discover the treasures that Niçois cherish daily: the Castle Hill Park overlooking ancient ruins, the Matisse and Marc Chagall museums housing exceptional collections, and the Cimiez Monastery surrounded by gardens. These sites narrate the story of a city shaped by diverse influences, from the Orthodox Saint Nicholas Cathedral to the alleys of the Old Town. From the flower market at Cours Saleya, where local accents can be heard, to Fort Mont Alban perched on the heights, each location offers a different experience of Nice. Some places, like the Louis Nucéra Library with its modern architecture, showcase the city's contemporary face. Others, more subtle, allow you to grasp the essence of a Mediterranean city where history and daily life blend effortlessly.
Nice combines museums, parks and coastal areas in a city between hills and the Mediterranean. The Marc Chagall Museum holds the largest public collection of his works, while the Matisse Museum is devoted to the paintings and sculptures of an artist who spent many years here. Castle Hill offers views over the rooftops and the water, and the Promenade des Anglais follows the shoreline. The Saint Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral is the largest of its kind in Western Europe and stands in a quiet neighborhood north of the center. Parc du Mont Boron spreads across wooded slopes with trails for walking. Place Masséna marks the heart of the city with red facades and open squares. Port Lympia lies east of the old town and keeps the feel of a working harbor. These places show different sides of Nice, from art to nature to everyday life by the sea.
The French Riviera between Monaco and Saint-Tropez features a diverse architectural heritage reflecting centuries of history. Visitors can explore medieval villages such as the historic center of Grasse, known as the perfume capital since the 16th century, or Saint-Paul-de-Vence, home to the Maeght Foundation and its modern art collection. The region also has Belle Époque buildings like the Negresco Hotel in Nice, along with 20th-century architectural creations such as the Palais Bulles in Théoule-sur-Mer. Mediterranean gardens are another attraction along this coastal area. The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat has nine themed gardens with vegetation suited to the local climate. The Bastide du Roy in Antibes preserves its geometric gardens and century-old olive trees. The coastline offers several vantage points overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, notably from the Le Corbusier Promenade connecting Cap Martin to Monaco over two miles, or from coves like Coco Beach where rocks and pebbles enable swimming and marine life observation.
Nice naturally lends itself to photography. The Mediterranean light shapes the city from morning to evening, revealing in turn the ochre facades of Old Nice, the palms lining the Promenade des Anglais, or the blue domes of Saint-Nicolas Orthodox Cathedral. From the Château hilltop, at 92 meters high, the view encompasses the entire bay, while below, Place Masséna displays its geometric paving stones and red facades. The flower market at Cours Saleya, established since the 17th century, extends to Lympia Port where yellow facades reflect in the water, each neighborhood forming a different scene. The Negresco Hotel with its pink dome marks the coastline, and the Matisse Museum shares the painter's love for the light of the South. Nice offers a variety of viewpoints, making it a preferred destination for those interested in capturing the architecture, colors, and vitality of a city oriented toward the Mediterranean.
Hotel Negresco
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Notre-Dame de Nice
961 m
Musée Masséna
1 km
Musée des Beaux-Arts Jules Chéret
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Gare du Sud
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Chapelle du tsarévitch Nicolas Alexandrovitch
48 m
Masséna
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Église Saint-Pierre d'Arène
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Villa Furtado-Heine
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Gloria Mansions
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Croix de Marbre
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Église reformée de Nice
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Palais Baréty
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Villa La Belle Époque
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Holy Spririt Church
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Colonne du pape
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Mémorial aux victimes de l'attentat du 14 juillet 2016 à Nice
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Chapelle Saint-Philippe-de-Neri de Nice
581 m
Église évangélique luthérienne de la Transfiguration de Nice
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Palais Meyerbeer
800 m
Église du Sacré-Cœur de Nice
1.1 km
Église Saint-Etienne de Nice
561 m
Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nice
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Pathé Gare du Sud
815 m
Cinéma des Variétés
1.1 km
Jardin de la Légion d’Honneur
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Jardin Alziari de Malaussena
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Nice, la ville neuve née du tourisme, ou l’invention de la Riviera
987 mReviews
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