Cathédrale Saint-Nicolas (Russian Orthodox Cathedral), Nice (must see)

The Cathedrale Saint-Nicolas, an Eastern Orthodox cathedral in Nice, is a possession of the Russian Federation. Nevertheless, it is also a national monument of France. It is in the Moscow Patriarchate and it's the largest Eastern Orthodox church in Western Europe. In 1864 Tsar Alexander II took the first train to Nice and fell in love with the climate.

Since the visit of Alexander II the Riviera has been very popular with the Russians. The Cathedral was consecrated in 1912 in memory of Tsarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich, who had died in Nice. Funding for the Cathedral was provided by Tsar Nicholas II of unhappy memory. In 2013 the Court of Cassation ruled the building and land to be Russian.

Although the Cathedral is located in Nice, one glance at the exterior would give it away. It is Russian, inside and out. No other architecture in Nice approaches it. It makes one think of a Fabrage egg. The onion-shaped domes and bright colors, the vast collection of icons leave no doubt.

Admission to sightseers is free but no photographs inside are allowed and telephones should be turned off. There is a dress code for those who wish to go inside. Men must not wear shorts. Women may not show bare shoulders and heads should be covered.