Island of Beauty Square

This charming square, named “Island of Beauty ”, offers a magical view over the old port and its “pointus”, the traditional pointy fishing boats.

The Notre-Dame-du-Port Church was built in 1830, with 4 neoclassical columns. It was commissionned by King Charles-Felix. In case you have never heard of this king, allow me to introduce him. He was the King of Sardinia, not of France, and Duke of Savoy, also known as “the Beloved”. Since 1388, Nice was ruled by the House of Savoy, which was then a powerful, prosperous and well-armed State. It was only annexed to France in 1860, along with what is now known as Savoy. Nice isn’t inherently French, but Napoleon III, who agreed to assist in Italy’s unification, demanded Nice and Savoy in return. Indeed, these territories held strategic military positions, facing the Mediterranean and at the foot of the Alps. Visiting the new town you might notice that the Gothic basilica of Notre-Dame contrasts strongly with the rest of the town’s itialian architecture. As a matter of fact, the basilica was built under Napoleon III’s rule, with the aim of giving a french touch to the city.