Description of the attraction
St. Nicholas Cathedral is a building in the Romanesque architectural style, erected from white natural stone. Officially, the temple is called the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, and belongs to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese in Monaco-Villa.
The cathedral was built in 1875-1903 on the site of the first parish church of St. Nicholas and consecrated in 1911. The previous building dates back to 1252, it turned into ruins in 1874. The interior of the temple is decorated with paintings by Louis Brea; the iconostasis of the early 16th century, located to the right of the transept, the main altar and the episcopal throne, made of white Carrara marble, have historical, cultural and artistic value. The central altar of St. Nicholas, created by the year 1500 from the birth of Christ, is a masterpiece of the cathedral. Next to the figure of St. Nicholas are the images of the holy martyrs Stephen and Lawrence, the Archangel Michael, escorting the soul into eternity, and St. Mary Magdalene. In the upper part, around the Merciful Christ, there are paintings - the Annunciation, St. John the Baptist and St. Anna. The side stripes depict the many saints and patrons of Monaco. The decoration of the rest of the altars is attributed to the workshop of François Bray.
The Cathedral of Saint Nicholas is also the family tomb of the princes of Monaco. Divine services in the temple are held during the main church holidays. At this time, you can hear the sound of the organ established in 1976. Every Sunday during Mass at 10 am, the Cathedral Children's Choir sings for the parishioners.
