Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de Valrose, located in the eponymous area of Nice, is a ten hectare estate created in 1867 by Baron Paul von Derwies, Russian financier. The latter, advisor to the Tsar Alexander II, built a luxurious Gothic castle, a small castle, a theatre transformed into a concert hall, and a sumptuous park with greenhouses, rose groves and pieces of water. The site, led by architects David Grimm, Antonio Croci, Constantin Scala and Antoine Béranger, employs more than 800 workers for three years at a cost of several million gold francs. The park, designed by horticulturalist Joseph Carlès, includes Italian plants, kiosks, a Ukrainian isba, false ruins and fountains.

From 1870 to 1881 Valrose became a worldly and musical place of life, hosting a symphonic orchestra of 70 musicians and renowned artists such as violinist Joseph Joachim or diva Adelina Patti. The baron held a great reception there, including one in honour of the great Duke Nicolas in 1881, the year of his death. After his disappearance, the property changed hands several times: sold in 1912 to Poutiloff, then in 1920 to Bolivian tin king Simón Iturri Patiño, who placed his name there at the entrance of the park.

In 1950, the city of Nice bought the estate and gave it to National Education. Since 1965, it has been home to the Valrose campus of Nice-Sophia-Antipolis University, including the presidency of the University and the Faculty of Science. The large castle, the small castle, the park and its remarkable elements are classified as historical monuments in 1991, thus preserving this exceptional testimony of the Golden Age of the Riviera.

The park, maintained by about 100 people at its peak, included picturesque elements such as caves, waterfalls and a boating pond. Queen Victoria, staying at the Excelsior Regina Palace, came to walk in the olive grove. The monumental entrance, built in 1881 by Sébastien-Marcel Biasini, is flanked by twin towers and marks the eastern access of the estate.

The castle's interior architecture is distinguished by its frescoed ceilings, crystal chandeliers and master paintings. The concert hall, able to accommodate 400 spectators, has an impressive wooden machinery visible in the background. This place, symbol of the beauty of the Nice Belle Époque, illustrates the influence of European elites on the French Riviera in the 19th century.

External links