Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Saint-Martin-Saint-Augustin church of Nice, located in Saint-Augustin Square in the Old Nice, is one of the oldest churches in the lower town, alongside Sainte-Reparate and Saint-Jacques-le-Majeur. Its origin dates back to the 14th century, when the Hermit Fathers of Saint Augustine established a convent outside the walls of the city. Ruined by wars, this convent was replaced in 1405 by the parish church Saint-Martin, then located in the Podio district. The medieval Gothic building, visible on a plan of 1607, was gradually transformed.

The reconstruction of the present Italian Baroque church began in 1636 under the impetus of the Augustine monks, in collaboration with the brotherhood of stone tailors. The work spanned the entire 17th century until the beginning of the 18th century. A plan preserved at the Bibliothèque nationale de France shows a serlienne façade, a triangular pediment and two low bell towers, typical of the Baroque architecture of the Nice-Gênes-Turin triangle. The present façade, conceived in 1834, was not completed until 1895, after the earthquake of 1887 destroyed the second bell tower.

The church is marked by notable historical events, such as the passage of Martin Luther in 1510, then Augustine monk, who celebrated a Mass there. It was also the baptismal place of Joseph Garibaldi on 19 July 1807. Ranked a historical monument in 1946, it houses a Renaissance Pietà attributed to the Nice painter Louis Bréa, testifying to his artistic heritage.

The Augustinian convent, originally built in the 14th century, played a central role in the religious life of Nice. After centuries of transformation, the present church embodies a mixture of Gothic and Baroque heritages, reflecting the cultural influences of the region. Local archives and historical studies, such as those of Georges Doublet or Bishop Denis Ghiraldi, underline its importance in the Niçois heritage.

The building, owned by the commune, remains an active place of worship and a major architectural testimony of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. Its ranking in 1946 and its location in the Old Nice make it an essential site to understand the religious and urban history of the city.

External links