Le palais des rois de Sardaigne

The current Prefecture building, situated in the heart of Nice, is the former palace of the Kings of Sardinia. Owned by the departmental council, it was built in the 1550s and subsequently rebuilt in 1609. Having been transformed, extended and embellished many times since then, the palace has stood the test of time as the Alpes-Maritimes department gradually took shape.

Today, as a monument at the crossroads of politics and culture, architecture and power, the palace lends its sumptuous setting only to official receptions. Yet, since the 16th century, its walls have held the memory of the men who shaped the history of the Alpes-Maritimes and, more broadly, that of Europe: princes of the House of Savoy, foreign sovereigns, Presidents of the Republic, members of the General Council and their chairmen, governors and intendants, prefects…

Richly illustrated with photographs taken especially for the occasion, this book traces the palace’s long history and its evolution, from its construction to the present day.