The General Council of Alpes-Maritimes, the City of Nice, and the Diocese of Nice are committed to the protection, preservation, restoration, and study of religious buildings.
Let us remember that Alpes-Maritimes hosts more than 430 listed or registered monuments, in addition to numerous buildings that are not protected but present architectural or artistic interest. Among these remarkable monuments, religious buildings hold a predominant place.
For a tourist department like Alpes-Maritimes, this is not without significance…
In signing the “Charter on the Preservation and Enhancement of Religious Heritage,” Eric Ciotti stated: “The preservation of this heritage is an essential mission. This charter we are signing reflects the desire to establish a fruitful and lasting partnership to promote projects and initiatives likely to enhance knowledge, appreciation, and security.”
To conclude: “Since 2008, the General Council, by grouping public and private heritage, has invested nearly 7 million° for religious heritage.”
It was up to Christian Estrosi, Mayor of Nice, to express a deeper reflection: “This charter will be a tremendous accelerator, a new breath that will help forge the great heritage policy that we all sincerely wish for.” And again: “In this period of re-evaluating our models and choices, where there is a genuine quest for meaning, culture, and heritage can provide answers.”
To finish: “The City owns 34 religious buildings and has invested 4.6 million euros in them since 2008; All these investments clearly reflect the willingness to invest for the future of our city, for its economic dynamism, its influence, and its attractiveness.”
The final word is from Monsignor Sankalé, Bishop of Nice: “The importance of this event is held in three words: text, spirit, and path.
The text sanctions, specifies, and provides visibility to what we were already doing but affirms a desire to do even more and even better. The spirit indicates that our action is not only to preserve but also to enhance this heritage, which is not solely religious. Finally, the path is about wanting to move together in the same direction.”
“What makes sense is to serve our society, to pursue the general interest rather than personal interest. I have two images of monuments close to my heart. One in Saint Martin du Var represents a watcher looking ahead, indicating the necessity of keeping grounded during the journey. The other in Roure depicts the scrutinizer looking forward and seeing… the future. Both complement each other and represent the simplicity of life.”
