ST. NICHOLAS SQUARE
A square with many interesting monuments in Bastia, one of the largest squares in Europe, a good place to stroll.
It's the great forum, the inescapable agora, the last salon where people talk, where political intrigues and budding romances are forged. The Place Saint-Nicolas, one of the largest in Europe at around 280 meters long and 80 meters wide, is the focal point for all strollers who come to breathe in the sea air or enjoy a drink in the setting sun. Children play safely here, and the atmosphere is convivial. For a long time, it was nothing more than a wasteland, and it wasn't until the 1830s that land was reclaimed from the sea with fill from the construction of the railway line. Trees followed, then monuments, including the statue of Napoleon I as a Roman emperor (1854), the bandstand built in 1907 to accommodate military bands and, finally, the war memorial erected in 1935 by two Bastia sculptors. Today, the Place Saint-Nicolas is the city's finest showcase. It is home to a number of luxury buildings, the famous palazzi d'americani, built by Corsicans who made their fortune in South America. These include the Palazzu Roncajolo, the Palazzu Agostini and the Palazzo Fantauzzi. The square exudes a typically Mediterranean atmosphere that delights locals and visitors from all over the world alike. A particularly pleasant stopover after a visit to Bastia, which is rarely a restful one!
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