Many have visited the famous hilltop in Nice, which for centuries served (from the eleventh to the eighteenth century) as a fortified castle to battle those who wanted to make Nice a place of their own.  A rock of about 300 yards (or 900 feet) high, it once featured a cathedral and settlements. All this was destroyed by Louis XIV in 1706 with enormous guns as part of the never ending local quarrels in Europe. Now, you can only admire the ruins (which look like all ruins.) But the stiff walk uphill is most rewarding for the spectacular views of the town and the Mediterranean, as shown below.

Halfway you find a Christian cemetery (above) and a Jewish cemetery (below), separate from each other. 

The ruins on top are not very representative of what the Citadel’s cathedral once was but they indicate its ancestry.

Other worthwhile treasures are remnants of the Roman Empire (below)

And, of course, the mutual admiration of each others’ dogs.

A view of Nice’s environment makes you jealous of its many variations when you are back home with only flat boring streets.

Turning to the seaside of the hill, visitors are offered magnificent sights of the Mediterranean and the port of Nice.

Buddhist monks are among the tourists.

Nice’s War Memorial at the bottom of the Citadel.

Next time: Memory Lane of the Riviera.