Historical Churches Walking Tour (Self Guided), Nice

Centuries of somewhat turbulent history have left imprint on the face of Old Nice, which until the 18th century represented the entire urban area. The abundance of historic and often colorful churches – about nine per square mile – ranging from the most opulent to the most obscure, each with its own quirks and story behind their stained glass, has made Old Nice part of a heritage preservation scheme.

Alongside Catholic temples – Catholicism is the main religion in France – there are plenty of other churches of various denominations in town, such as Orthodox, Anglican, Baptist, Evangelistic, Protestant and more. Here are some of them you may not want to miss:

Cathédrale Saint-Nicolas – the Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Nice, property of the Russian Federation and a national monument of France; the largest Eastern Orthodox church in Western Europe.

Basilique Notre-Dame – the largest church in the city; also one of the main Old Town attractions, designed in an Italian Baroque manner.

Cathédrale Sainte-Réparate (Saint Reparate Cathedral) – rebuilt into a Cathedral in the 17th century from a small church, St Mary of the Castle, of circa 1049; named after a pious Palestinian teen, Reparate, martyred for her Christian faith.

Chapelle de la Misericorde – a beautiful example of ancient architecture; originally owned (from the 1400s) by the Brotherhood of Black Penitents, a prominent religious group within the Roman Catholic Church.

St. Martin St. Augustin Church – constructed in 1837; a classic example of Italian Baroque architecture.

If you are a fervent believer or simply enthusiastic architecture buff seeking to have a truly cultural day of exciting exploration in Nice, take this self-guided walking tour and discover some of the top historic churches in town.