Chapelle funéraire orthodoxe russe du prince Troubetskoï

The Chapelle funéraire orthodoxe russe du prince Troubetskoï stands in Menton, in France’s Alpes-Maritimes, within a terraced cemetery on a hillside. From the grounds, you can look across the Italian coast towards Cap Martin. Nearly three hundred monuments mark the cemetery, including graves of Russian nobles, British aristocrats, and William Webb Ellis.

Inaugurated in 1886, the chapel serves as a Russian Orthodox funeral chapel, depository, and crypt. Nicolas Yourassov, Russia’s vice consul in Menton, drew the plans and led the fundraising committee. Menton provided land and financial support in 1884, while city architect Sylvain Jauffret supervised construction. Sculptor Rocca from Nice created the decorations, shaped by the neo-Russian style and Byzantine influences. Two porches with sturdy columns recall Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Nice, built between 1903 and 1912.

Nicolas Yourassov’s grave stands beside the entrance on the left. Prince Pierre Troubetskoï’s tomb stands on the right, beneath a family history reaching back to Lithuania’s Grand Duke Algirdas. His descendants included painter Pierre Troubetskoy and sculptor Paolo Troubetskoy. The chapel preserves a precise trace of Menton’s Russian community, which grew during the nineteenth century around health, diplomacy, and winter residence.