As we can sympathize with, many Russians came to Nice to escape the cold winters. First the nobility came and then members from the upper classes also came to Nice. Soon there was an entire enclave of Russians living in Nice. In 1864 Tsar Alexander II visited by train and deemed it to be pleasant. The next year the crown prince Grand Duke Nicholas fell ill in Italy and was sent to Nice to recover but he later died. A chapel was built on the site where he died. Eventually this chapel was not big enough and a new, much larger, cathedral was built to honor the crown prince. His body was returned to Russia. We visited the cathedral and the crypt the basement. What a magnificent site.
Two mounted police passed us on our stroll
We did not buy these high heeled sneakers
We passed more extraordinary buildings
Both painted and
Decorated with tile work
Large stone marker
A memorial to the heir to the throne
It was bananas
Very impressive
The climate is great for citrus
The roses were huge
A bromeliad or two
As we got closer the size became apparent
A gilded spire
The classic onion domes
No expense was spared
The two headed Russian Eagle
The interior had many icons
With Jesus, Mary and Joseph and all the saints at sea
Add a few angles to the mis
A very richly decorated interior
A wooden cross
This candle holder, oh my!
Crowns
Stained glass
This wooden masterpiece of an altar
A nested set of figures painted on the dome
Looking up
Very expressive looks
So many treasures
Silver and Gold
A nice compact storyboard
Sensational cabinetry
A most elaborate light
This seems to be a sarcophagus
But we could not ascertain who might be inside
Someone with a fancy skirt
Looking down the staircase
All the mustache hair pulled the head hair out
A map of Russian territory
Vestments
Another superb icon
Perhaps this is an incense censer
A death mask of the crown prince
More crowns
Some of these are for the priests to wear
The ceiling of the crypt
Some are for the royalty
This is for grooms
For brides too
This is icon has been declared a miracle, It was crusted and completely dark but then it started lightening up. Day after day it brightened and details emerged
Hallelujah!
Everywhere we looked we saw more details
A four leaf clover
Some parting shots. they close from 1 to 2 PM
We took a walk all around the cathedral
It was very peaceful in the off time
The bunnies can relax
Nibble on some bark
The crosses are tied down to support them
Just magnificent
Time for lunch
Nestled in a corner
The brasserie
A chicken burger
Salads
A chef's salad
Great ironwork
