Piazza Garibaldi is one of the oldest in the city. This is symbolic for a nice place associated with the name of its most famous son.

This name was not always: ensemble near the city's harbour was formed in the XVIII century. In 1773 architect Antoine Spinelli laid here the area. By decision of the king of Sardinia, Victor Amadeus III was held here the road from nice to Turin. The tract was laid fit for a king, the area was enlarged, framed buildings with uniform facades ochre.

In 1784 there was built by the project of the same Spinelli neoclassical chapel of the Holy sepulchre. She gave the area a solemn look. On the facade of the chapel above the three entrance arches you can see the three gun kernel: hanging on here in memory of the siege of nice by the Turks in 1543.

The area has consistently gained the name of king Victor-Emmanuel, Republic (after the capture of the city by the French in 1792), Napoleon (during the Empire), Weapons (after the city was returned to Sardinia), St. Augustine (after the annexation of nice by France). In 1870 it was named after the great native of nice Giuseppe Garibaldi.

Garibaldi was born in nice in 1807. Following in the footsteps of his father, became a sailor. Sailed the Mediterranean and Black seas, in Taganrog met with Italian political emigrant, who instilled in the young captain of the Republican ideas. For participating in a conspiracy against the monarchy in Savoy, he was sentenced to death, he fled to South America, traded, fought for the independence of the new States. It was in South America, Garibaldi on the occasion cheap bought for their soldiers red shirts, which became the symbol of his troops. In 1848 throughout Europe blazed revolution, and Garibaldi hurried home. With a small force he landed in nice, after a series of brilliant victories were defeated, emigrated to the United States. In 1859 with him secretly met the Prime Minister of Sardinia, count Cavour and convinced to participate in the war against Austria. Volunteers Garibaldi became a force that played a crucial role in creating today's United Italy.

Died Garibaldi June 2, 1882. Two days later, the municipal Council of nice decided to build on the square the monument to the great patriot. The project was created by the sculptor Antoine Etaix, but he died before the statue. The sculptor Jean-Baptiste Gustave Le Delay increased the pedestal four times and added two bronze lions at the sides. On a marble Garibaldi – shirt, apparently, the same, red. Hand he is leaning on his sword. The monument stands in the center of the majestic fountain.

Now the area is completely renovated, paved with basalt and gneiss. She mainly given over to pedestrians, except for crossing the tram line. On the facades of the surrounding houses in the Baroque style to offer a traditional nice green shutters. In the arcades lie antique shops. Local cafe Torino is famous for seafood: since 1891 here offer Mediterranean oysters, which the company delivers the famous family Rumage is already the sixth generation.