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On the shores of the Mediterranean, between Nice and Monaco, Villa Kérylos is a one-of-a-kind monument, a jewel of the Riviera inviting you to travel to the heart of Greek antiquity.

Highlights

• The Villa Kérylos is an ancient greek-inspired masterpiece
• Everything in the villa was designed, designed and built in 6 years
• A reinvention of antiquity at the dawn of the 20th century

Description

In Greek mythology, Kérylos designates Alcyon, a mythical bird nesting in the heart of winter, born from the transformation of Alcyoné (Ἀλκυόνη), wife of Céyx. This sea swallow was said to bring a happy omen More than an architecture, Villa Kérylos is a total work born from the fruitful and erudite desire of Théodore Reinach, supported by a talented architect, Emmanuel Pontremoli. The two men met at the Salon of 1900, while Pontremoli presented the fruit of his research in Pergamon. Together, they built this fabulous monument between 1902 and 1908 in Beaulieu-sur-Mer, surrounded by the best craftsmen and artists. From floor to ceiling, everything in the villa has been designed, designed and produced in 6 years: every piece of furniture or textile, every door or window handle, switches and electrical outlets but also crockery and cutlery, nothing is an exception! Villa Kérylos is like a research conservatory of the time, an incarnated sum of knowledge. If it is all this and more, it is neither a copy nor a reconstruction. It is a creation inspired by Greece and more broadly by the ancient Mediterranean worlds. Not a replica, but a reinvention of Antiquity at the dawn of the 20th century, an immersion outside of time and outside of places. An evocation of Antiquity, Villa Kérylos is nevertheless a perfectly contemporary monument in which all the comforts of the technology of the time are present, but carefully concealed! Everything is thought out as if an architect from ancient Greece had designed a luxurious villa at the beginning of the 20th century: electrical outlets and switches are hidden but still accessible. No radiators, but an ingenious heating system inspired by Antiquity (ducts diffusing hot air) powered by oil boilers and no longer wood…

Includes

entrance ticket

Important Information

• There is no luggage storage available
• Opening hours may vary, please check in advance.
• The last entry to the site is 30 min before closing time
• Closed Jan 1st, May 1th 1st, 11th of Nov and Dec 25th
• Free entrance: The first Sunday of Jan, Feb, March, Nov and Dec and during European Heritage Days (3rd weekend of Sept each year)
• Free entrance for visitors under 18 years of age or EU citizens under 26: you must show a photo ID with a picture at the ticketing station first, before going to the entrance of the monument
• People with disability: All of the exteriors are covered with gravel. The ticket office has access to the ground floor of the villa via a reserved entrance (access ramp). The ground floor is accessible on one level. First-floor staircase with handrails: 8 steps, landing, 12 steps, landing then 9 steps. The entire tour route has rest seats. Staircase to the garden: 6 steps. No strips for visually impaired visitors.

Easy cancellation

This activity is non-refundable