Those beautiful Russian churches on the French Riviera are the relics of a real love story between the Slav people of the 19th century and the South of France. This attraction dates from the times when the Russian Imperial Family began to spend much times on the French Riviera. The liking of the Imperial Family for this French area intrigued the Russian population and many of the wealthiest Russian family came to set in it.
During one of her stay in Nice, the tsarina Alexandra Feodorovna would build an orthodox church to pray: the first Russian church on the French Riviera was born.
In view of the fact that the Russian population was growing up on the French Riviera, many other constructions followed, especially the famous Saint-Michel Church in Cannes.
When the tsar’s son Nicholas died of meningitis in the Villa Bermond of Nice, his father bought this villa to build on it a commemorative chapel in his memory. This chapel is the biggest orthodox structure outside the Russian borders, replica of St Basile in the Kremlin.
Today, the most famous Russian churches on the French Riviera, where you can discover the originality of the Russian architecture, are the St Michel Church in Cannes and the St Nicolas Church in Nice. Contrary to what one might think, St Nicolas was not named so because of the tsar’s son who died precociously in Nice. The church was built a long time after, and was named so because of the last tsar of Russia, Nicolas II. This Russian church on the French Riviera is even on the way to be listed as an historic building!
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