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Origin and history

The Centenary monument of the Nice meeting in France was commissioned in 1892 to celebrate the centenary of the 1793 attachment, but also that of 1860. Directed by the architect of Nice Jules Febvre and the sculptor of Toulouse André-Joseph Allar, it was inaugurated on 4 March 1896 in the presence of President Félix Faure and elected locals such as Maurice Rouvier or François Alziary de Malausséna, mayor of Nice. The monument, located in the Albert-Ier garden, combines a tapered pyramid surmounted by a winged bronze victory (a faithful Nice allegory, wrapped in the French flag) and a white marble group representing Nice giving itself to France, symbolized by a maternal and reassuring figure.

The artistic composition combines historical references and political symbols. The Victoire, inspired by the goddess Niké, recalls the Greek origin of the name of Nice, while the young girl with walls evokes the medieval edition of the city to the Counts of Savoy in 1388. The connection of 1793 is presented as a new "dédition", this time to France. At the back, a bas-relief is shown in the Mediterranean, highlighting the geographical anchor of Nice. The inscriptions (dates 1793-1893 and 1860) and the city's weapons, carved on the base, reinforce the commemorative and educational dimension of the monument, designed to anchor local memory in national history.

The monument takes place in a political context marked by the celebration of moderate republican values, as evidenced by the representation of France: a woman in helmet (not in Phrygian hat), embodying order and legality. Four allegorical figures at the corner of the base, illustrating the "benefits of annexation", were never realized. Ranked in historical monuments since 23 July 2009, it remains a strong symbol of the Nice identity, between Savoyard heritage and French belonging. Its inauguration in 1896, widely publicized (notably by Le Petit Niçois), reflected the memorial challenges of a city that had been integrated into the Republic for less than 40 years.

Historical sources, such as Henri Courrière's work or local archives, underline his role in building a post-1860 Nice political identity. The monument dialogues with other urban works, such as the statue of Garibaldi, to narrate a complex history, between revolution, annexation and loyalism. Today, it is a major heritage landmark of the city centre, managed by the municipality and fully protected (including its foundry by Capitain-Geny).

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