Nice
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Country : France  Département : Alpes-Maritimes  |
| French | D'argent à l'aigle couronnée de gueules, au vol abaissé, empiétant une montagne de trois coupeaux de sinople issant d'une mer d'azur mouvant de la pointe et ondée d'argent. |
| English | blazon wanted |
Origin/meaning
First recorded in 1431, the Red Eagle on three mounts becomes the standard representation of the city and the County only during the 16th century. In 1502, the blue sea is added at the foot of the mounts (which by tradition represents the three hills on which the city was founded (the Greek city, the Roman city and Montalban). In 1578, a crown was added on the head of the eagle, and after the first French occupation (1695-1705) the Countal Crown and the palms are added to the shield. The inscription "Nicaea Civitas" at the bottom would be a later addition during the Piedmontese restauration of 1814.
Napoleon granted Nice rather different arms, see below, which were abolished in 1814.
Image gallery
The arms granted by Napoleon
he arms in the Café Sanka album +/- 1932
The arms on a tobacco card by Laurens
The arms on a postcard by Barré Dayez
The arms on a postcard by Kroma
The arms on a postcard by Maurice Jacquez
The arms on a trade card from Félix Potin
The arms in the city (image by Jan-Erik Løken)
The arms on a stamp
Postal cancellation 2006
Literature: Image taken from La banque du blason (with permission); Ciaudo, 1992
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