Catholic Cathedral Basilica in Nice dedicated to unknown Russian tourists Saint Reparata. But for the locals is "own" holy - it is the patroness of the town.

Reparata, a fifteen year old native of Caesarea in Palestine, suffered for Christ in the year 250: it beheaded. It is said that the body of the martyr was put in a boat, which the angels brought to the shores of Nice (this is one of the versions of the name "Bay of Angels").

Hagia Reparate stands on a small square in the narrow streets of the old town. The first church on the site appeared in the XIII century. Cathedral of Nice has long settled on the Castle hill, but in the first half of the XVI century, it was decided that the episcopal will be at the bottom, and the parish church of Saint Reparate cathedral began.

Over time, a small building was no longer accommodate the faithful, and in 1649 the architect Jean-André Hubert began the reconstruction of the temple. Construction was slow - the money was, they did not have enough. 1658 darkened terrible accident - collapsed vault of the nave, fragments wounded bishop, who died a few hours later. Work resumed only after five years. Finally in 1699 a new cathedral in the Baroque style, with a dome covered with colored glazed tiles in the spirit of Genoa, was consecrated.

However, it was not the last reconstruction, between the years 1731 and 1757 have added a charming bell tower, and in the years 1825-1830 already elegant façade decorated with four statues of saints and a statue of Saint Reparate kneeling directly over the entrance.

The facade of the cathedral has recently been restored. Work continues on the restoration of the luxurious interior settled in the same sumptuous Baroque style (rich decor, Corinthian columns, gilded, murals). Ten hours of the cathedral have an interesting story: once they belonged to individuals who decorated them, and kept it buried there family members. This practice stopped in the XVIII century, when the King of the Kingdom of Sardinia, Victor Amadeus III forbade burials in churches.