Castle Hill, Nice, Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur, France
Colline du Chateau can be found on a hill nestled between the Nice harbor and the old town. The hill upon which this park stands is called Castle Hill and has an elevation of around 92 meters. The park’s position at the top of Castle Hill affords its visitors with great views of the city below. From here, you will see the Promenade des Anglais, the Baie des Anges and the Old Town (with its red roofs).
Although it is called a chateau, you will find no such structure in this plateau-like park. The imposing medieval stronghold that once stood here now lies in ruins, victim of many an attack, until it was finally destroyed. Yet, the place still retains this name, probably in memory of the medieval grandeur that once can be found here. This was the first section of Nice that was settled into. Yes, this where the original city of Nice was first constructed. It was also the original site of the Acropolis, a Greek city.
The Counts of Savoy maintained the castle, further fortifying it. Back then, the fortress was thought to be impregnable, but the French King Louis XIV disproved this in 1706, when he and his troops stormed and demolished the citadel. Now only a few sections of the wall can be seen.
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