In the 17th century, the city of Nice saw the emergence of a new artistic movement, known as the Baroque style. It thus distanced itself from its Provençal roots and entered a new architectural and aesthetic era. The Baroque style, by definition, seeks not to replicate reality but to inspire emotion: it is therefore an excessive and spectacular style, as evidenced by the many buildings inspired by this movement in Alpes-Maritimes.
Within old Nice, it can be seen inside the Church of the Gesù, built between 1612 and 1642: the architecture there is noticeably different from the Classical style. The big arcades of the side chapels succeed lower openings flanked by rectangular bays. The decoration is also exuberant: imposing angels stand on the chapels' entrance arches while the frieze features thick rinceau motifs of leaves, surrounded by cherubim around oval bays. Gold and warm colours dominate and contrast with the understated aesthetic of the Provençal churches.
The Cathedral of St. Reparata, erected in 1650, is another major example of the Baroque style in Nice. Like many churches from this movement, the building is inspired by St. Peter's Basilica in Rome: its triple-nave basilica plan, along with its dome on a tholobate overlooking the transept crossing, illustrate the characteristics of this architectural style. Inside, opulence reigns: there are no less than ten chapels inside. They once belonged to the wealthy families of the region. Admire the semicircular vault with arches draped in cherubs, and the abundant light let in by many stained glass windows, made sublime by the dome above the transept!
In the Nice hinterland, the Church of St. Peter in Chains (Saint-Pierre-ès-Liens) in L'Escarène, built in 1627, follows the same model as the Church of the Gesù with a barrel vaulted rectangular nave, triumphal arch choir and flat chevet. Aficionados will also notice the numerous stucco decorations, characteristic of the Baroque style. About twenty kilometres away, the Cathedral of St. Michael in Sospel also offers a Baroque aesthetic with its triumphal arch and more marked architectural lines, showing a certain expressiveness. So many other religious monuments provide further wonderful examples of this style, which can be seen all over the region.
