This Friday, the people of Nice were able to rediscover the restored Saint-Pons abbey church. It had been over a century since it was like that, “so we have forgotten it,” said the mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, in his speech during the inauguration.
The history of the Saint-Pons abbey began 1200 years ago, and tradition says that it was founded by Charlemagne himself.
It was on its forecourt that the ceremonies of the Dedication of 1388 took place when the County of Nice was given to the Counts of Savoy. It preserves the memory of one of the oldest places of worship in Nice and stands as the most remarkable baroque church in the city.
Its exceptional character earned it a classification as a historical monument as early as 1913. Closed to the public since 1999, the building experienced a slow degradation. Given its value, the richness of its history, and the quality of its architecture, Christian Estrosi aimed, as early as 2008, to initiate a preservation program. “The history of the Saint-Pons abbey church has been suspended for a century. Today, we are resuming its thread, and we will not cease to strengthen it.,” expressed Christian Estrosi.
Restoration work began in October 2016 for opening to the public on May 10.
Its religious vocation is maintained, and a grand inaugural mass, which will also be an opportunity to reinstall the relics of Saint Pons in the crypt, will be celebrated here by the Bishop of Nice on June 2.
