The people of Nice remember that this location was originally intended by former Mayor Jacques Peyrat for the construction of a luxury hotel. Unfortunately for the former chief magistrate, this decision concealed a murky case of conflict of interest that drew the attention of the justice system and in which some of his direct collaborators were implicated.
For now, the structure, which measures 30 meters high, is hidden from prying eyes after being placed where it can be seen from afar and especially from the sea, like a sort of lighthouse.
None of this is trivial or without meaning. There is a clear intention and choice here—a work of art instead of a hotel, an open and free space instead of another building. This sculpture will stand as a symbol of the ambition of its Mayor and the new municipal team who wish for a city of Nice that can project itself into the future.
Perhaps that’s why this “obelisk,” as some from the Saleya market to the bistros of the old town have already nicknamed this enormous veiled sculpture, comparing it because of its size and scope to the monument located at Place de la Concorde in Paris. Undoubtedly a symbol that Christian Estrosi needed to give prestige to the first part of his term and to the festivities of the 150th anniversary of the annexation of the County of Nice to France.
