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Origin and history

The Seraphic Cross of Cimiez is a marble calvary located in Nice, Alpes-Maritimes. Sculpted in 1477 according to the inscription of its capital, it was originally distinguished by its twisted column and its twisted cross. One of its faces represents a crucified seraphim, inspired by a vision of St Francis of Assisi at Mount Alverna, while the other side depicts the Virgin. At its creation, it decorated the cemetery of the Franciscan monastery of Nice, on the present Saint Francis Square in the Old Nice.

During the French Revolution, the monastery was abandoned, and the cemetery was razed under the First Empire. The cross, dismantled and preserved by an individual, was resettled in 1804 in front of the monastery of Cimiez, on the Place du Monastery-de-Cimiez. Ranked a Historical Monument in 1903, she underwent an act of vandalism in 1979. Damaged, it was restored and moved inside the church of the monastery, while a copy, molded in its image, took its place outside.

The original cross, now preserved in the first left side chapel of the church, symbolizes both the Niçois artistic heritage and the Franciscan spiritual heritage. Its rare iconography, mixing seraphim and Virgin, reflects the mystical currents of the late 15th century. The external copy, faithful to the original, perpetuates its presence in the place of the monastery, emblematic place of Cimiez.

The historical sources, including the references of the Merimée base and the local archives, confirm its classification in 1903 and its communal property. Its current location, close to the monastery, makes it a landmark for visitors exploring the religious and architectural history of Nice. The accuracy of its location, noted as "passable" (level 5/10), highlights the minor geographical uncertainties associated with its successive movements.

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