The Armenian Apostolic Church in Nice is represented by the Holy Mother of God Church (Surb Astvatsatsin Church) located on Madeleine Boulevard in the “Armenian Quarter”. The nearby bus stop interestingly is called “Cité Armeniénne” (“Armenian City”).
The church was established mainly at the expense of philanthropist Tigran Chamkertyan. It was built by Armenian refugees who had settled in the area (no one had lived here before the Armenians). Their descendants say that after the working day, their grandfathers would proceed with building the church, and the children would play nearby.
The first stone was laid on August 17, 1927, and the consecration of the church was done on January 6, 1928, by Bishop Grigoris Palakyan.
In the basement floor of the church, there used to be a school. The Parsamyan School Complex located nearby would be built later.
The first Armenians appeared here in 1923 (confirmed by city records), while the “Armenian quarter” was founded in 1924-1925.
Russian original from Michael Osipov
