Tourist information:
Levens is a small town and commune in the Alpes-Maritimes département of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur région of France. Its inhabitants are called Levensans (or Levensois).
Geography:
The village, built on high rocky ground, is located at an altitude of 600 metres. It lies in the center of the district, which stretches from the plain of the Var (Plan-du-Var hamlet) to the Férion range. Mount Férion is 1,400 metres high.
Sights:
- The peira tourgnola (turning stone) is a vertical stone several meters high, topped with a second block measuring about 1 meter high, situated on the path to Albarea, near the fork in the path to Coumba.
- With the gate of the first outer walls and the one of the second outer walls (the 'Portal'), the 'tower' is one of the three ruins of the old castle. This tower is the old donjon, the highest point of the village, which overhangs the public swimming pool below, and offers a distant view over the plain of the Var and the cape of Antibes.
- The boutàu is a cylindrical cone-shaped and truncated stone, which was placed in the ground at the current Liberty Place and over which the farandole dancers jumped during the revolt of 1621.
- The Saint-Antonin parish church is mentioned as far back as 1286 on the Saint-Pons' abbey Cartulary. Construction of the first church was probably prior to the 13th century, but it has been affected by numerous revisions, particularly at the beginning of the 17th century. It is built according to a basilica plan, with a 4-bay nave and two side aisles; the chancel and the two side aisles are closed with flat chevets. These three aisles are separated by two 4-pillar rows, made of local grey limestone. The bases of the pillars comprise curious heads of a late Roman style, very diversified, among which is a "Levens smile"! Three pieces, including a polychrome wooden statue of the Virgin, a pulpit and predella telling Saint Antonin's life, date to the 16th century.
- The Chapel for the White Penitents Brotherhood founded at the beginning of the 14th century, called 'White Chapel', was consecrated to Our Lady of the Assumption, shifted and rebuilt on its present location (Republic Place) in 1775. It contains a polychrome altar piece dated to the 18th century, an alabaster 'Virgin and Child' dated to the 17th century, and a polychrome wooden processional Virgin statue dated to the 18th century.
- The Chapel for the Black Penitents Brotherhood was founded at the end of the 16th century; it is called 'Black Chapel'. The treasure house of the Levens church is presented here, within the scope of a religious art museum.
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