Sommaire / Summary
Garibaldi place in Nice is one of the urban centers that attracts both the people of Nice and those passing through. It is a large and very pleasant square, with its fountain. Many bars and restaurants surround it.
The Garibaldi square nowadays
Nowadays, this vast quadrilateral is surrounded by bars and restaurants, under the arcaded buildings. On the south side, a fountain is raised in memory of Giuseppe Garibaldi. Oaks and albizias provide some shade in summer.
For some years now, a vintage merry-go-round is still a joy for children.
It is a very lively square, during the day and in the evening, very easily accessible thanks to the streetcar lines L1 (above ground) and L2 (underground). It is close to the port of which it is part of the district and close to the Old Nice in the South.
History of the Square
Garibaldi Square owes its existence to Victor-Amédée III, prince of the House of Savoy, king of Sardinia, sovereign of the Duchy of Savoy, the Principality of Piedmont, and the County of Nice. Indeed, this sovereign had a road created from Turin to Nice. A royal entrance was therefore necessary to enter the city of Nice. This explains the aesthetic quality of the buildings of the square.
We owe its development to the architect Antonio Spinelli. All the buildings that surround it have arcades, the height, the colors are uniform, giving a remarkable unity to this square.
The name of the Garibaldi square
This square was named after Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882), born in Nice, general and politician founder of Italy (1860). It was named place Pairoliera, Pérolière in French, then piazza Vittorio from the name of Victor-Emmanuel, then took the French name of place de la République during the French Revolution, then place Napoleon, then place d'Armes, then place Saint-Augustin, then again place Napoleon. Phew. It is only in 1870, Nice belonging to France, that it received its "definitive" name of Place Garibaldi.
Informations Côte d'Azur
Jean-Marc Foulquier