Palais Lascaris

Why is it significant?

Pass through the rusticated stone carriage gate of Palais Lascaris, the most opulent noble residence preserved within the dense medieval fabric of Old Nice.

Key Facts

Open the walk

Pass through the rusticated stone carriage gate of Palais Lascaris, the most opulent noble residence preserved within the dense medieval fabric of Old Nice. Built beginning in 1648 for Jean-Baptiste Lascaris-Vintimille, field marshal to the Duke of Savoy and scion of one of the most powerful feudal dynasties in the region, this palace represents the absolute zenith of civil Genoese baroque domestic architecture. In the grand entrance vestibule, a monumental ceremonial staircase with gleaming white marble balusters sweeps dramatically upward beneath vaulted ceilings adorned with spectacular mythological frescoes depicting the Fall of Phaethon and the legendary triumphs of Hercules. The stately reception rooms on the piano nobile display richly gilded coffered wooden ceilings, magnificent Flemish and Aubusson wall tapestries, and priceless antique furnishings testifying to the immense wealth and prestige of Riviera nobility under the Ancien Régime. Today, the palace proudly displays an extraordinary public collection of more than five hundred rare European musical instruments, including precious Renaissance viola da gambas, classical harps, and beautifully restored baroque harpsichords. Walking through these resonant historic salons with polished parquet floors reveals the extraordinary aesthetic sophistication with which the regional aristocracy cultivated chamber music, poetry, and painting at the crossroads of French and Italian civilisation.

Look closely at the dramatic high-relief stuccowork framing the grand staircase doors: carved warrior allegories surround the double-headed imperial eagle crest of the Lascaris family.

The palace preserves a complete eighteenth-century apothecary shop, featuring original painted woodwork and glazed faïence medicine jars rescued from an ancient charity hospital.

Confiscated as national property during the French Revolution, the palace was partitioned into crowded tenements before being purchased and restored by the city of Nice in 1942.

Continue north along Rue Droite until you emerge into the lively open space of Place Saint-François.