PLACE MASSÉNA
A superb square in the heart of Nice, one of the city's most famous landmarks, an important part of Nice's heritage, waiting to be discovered.
It's one of Nice's most famous landmarks, and certainly one of its most beautiful and popular. Situated in the heart of Nice, it was named in honor of André Masséna, Marshal of the Empire and a native of Nice. Built in the 1820s and 1830s on the model of Turin's Piazza Vittorio Veneto, Place Masséna has become an integral part of Nice's heritage, and one of its symbols, alongside the Promenade des Anglais and the Negresco. Crossed by the tramway, it is the junction between the Jean Médecin shopping street, the pretty Promenade du Paillon and the unmissable old town. Thanks to its central geographical position, and by hosting numerous social, artistic and cultural events, such as the famous Nice Carnival, it has naturally established itself as an important part of Nice's heritage.
The square has recently been restored to its former splendor: mainly pedestrian, paved with black and white mineral paving in a giant checkerboard pattern, it has become a vast esplanade leading south to the superb Sun Fountain, and is dotted with seven statues perched on masts some ten meters high. Shaped like seated scribes, they light up after dark thanks to lighting effects, giving the square a unique atmosphere. Marked by two centuries of life and atypical architectural features, the Place Masséna is an unmissable place to pass through, meet people and hold events.
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Members' reviews on PLACE MASSÉNA
The ratings and reviews below reflect the subjective opinions of members and not the opinion of The Little Witty.
very well equipped, beautiful, large, festive.
place " arosée" the summer for E enjoyment of children
Côté nord, des bâtiments monumentaux de facture XVIIIème dans les teintes ocres de la ville bordent une vaste esplanade en damier.
L'attraction moderne qui mérite d'être vue absolument, ce sont les sept scribes en résine translucide représentant les sept continents de l'artiste catalan Jaume Plensa. Assis sur des colonnes tels des stylites des temps modernes, ils changent de couleur en s'illuminant de l'intérieur. Suivant le parcours du tramway, ils sont d'après l'artiste "une métaphore sur la relation entre les différentes communautés qui font partie de la société d’aujourd’hui".
"Comme les phares sur la côte, les figures semblent veiller sur nous, nous protéger d’en haut. Sans perturber le vide de la place, elles nous invitent à lever les yeux et redécouvrir aussi le ciel de la ville. "
Jaume Plensa
Mars 2006
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