Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Notre-Dame-de-Protection chapel, located at the High of Cagnes-sur-Mer in the Alpes-Maritimes, finds its origins in a 14th century oratory, now integrated into the five-sided apse. This monument, whose oldest parts date back to the 12th century, was significantly enlarged in 1645 by the addition of a nave and a two arched porch. The building retains an exceptional painted decoration, made in the first quarter of the 16th century and attributed to Andrea de Cella, a Nice artist. These frescoes, rediscovered in 1936 after having been covered with badigeon around 1830, illustrate scenes of the Evangelists, of the life of the Virgin and of the Childhood of Christ, although their condition is now altered.

The adjacent span also houses murals from the late 16th century, showing the successive transformations of the site. The chapel is distinguished by its 17th century altarpiece, as well as statues of St Sebastian and St Roch, invoked against the plague, reflecting the health concerns of the period. Classified as a historical monument on April 4, 1939, this chapel embodies both a remarkable artistic heritage and a place of devotion rooted in local history. Its decor, although partially degraded, offers a rare glimpse of Niçois religious art between the Middle Ages and modern times.

The historical sources, including Paul Roque's work on Nice primitive painters, underline the importance of this site in understanding the evolution of artistic and religious practices in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. The chapel, owned by the commune, remains a major architectural and pictorial testimony, mixing Romanesque, Renaissance and Baroque heritage. Its classification among historical monuments in 1939 allowed to preserve this heritage, while highlighting its role in the collective memory of Cagnes-sur-Mer.

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