The City Council meeting on Thursday, March 29, was an opportunity to announce the classification as historical monuments of the medieval and modern fortifications of the Pairolière gate in Nice, also known as the “Archaeological Crypt.”
These remains were revealed during the construction works of the first tramway line. Subsequent archaeological excavations uncovered a very well-preserved fortified complex located beneath Place Garibaldi and Boulevard Jean-Jaurès, right in the center of Nice.
All the remains have been protected and form a vast underground room of 2000 m²: the archaeological crypt. This exceptional site is comparable to the Louvre crypt in Paris, hence its classification as a historical monument by the Ministry of Culture and Communication.
This cultural establishment with historical vocation will be inaugurated next June. The general public will then be able to discover a museum-like setup offering a pathway through the remains in the form of a suspended walkway above the ground. Several explanatory panels will be placed along the path to inform visitors. Different colored lighting, using LED technology, will highlight the various types of masonry: fortifications (a medieval tower, 15th-century ravelin, and 16th-century bastions…), water supply systems…
The Lu Bastioun archaeological crypt will thus be a new tool for transmitting the centuries-old history of Nice and its County.
