This Palace was built in 1924, on the initiative of Prince Louis II and inaugurated on May 1st 1930. It is built out of sea tuff, a grey and porous stone, which was also used for Monaco’s ramparts. This stone contains many small pebbles, and sometimes mollusc shells.The bust of the Sovereign Honoré II, dated 1568, appears on one of the Palace façades.
This fortress built at the beginning of the 18th century, is now an open-air theater; it was rebuilt in 1953 under the initiative of Prince Rainier III being damaged in 1944. Its military architecture, watchtower and the almost total solitude which can be found there, combine to give it a unique and particular charm. Its stage has been pleasantly arranged with a pyramid of cannon balls at its centre. The military architecture of the fort is emphasised by the pittosporum…
This 11th century votive chapel is dedicated to the Principality’s and Princely family’s Patron Saint. Sainte-Dévote church was built in the hollow of the “Vallon des Gaumates”, where, during the 4th century a small boat carrying Sainte Dévote’s remains ran aground at its entrance. Every year on 26th January, a boat is burnt at nightfall as part of a traditional ceremony.
Guardian of an ancient tradition, this Palace located in a unique setting upon the “Rock” of Monaco,was built on the site of a fortress erected by the Genoese in 1215. Today the splendors of this Palace can be admired by all, such as its Italian-style gallery and its 15th century frescoes; its Louis XVth lounge all in yellow and gold, its blue room, a harmonious blend of glorious blue and gold; its Mazarin room covered with multicoloured wood-panelling; the Throne…
Built with the stark white stones from La Turbie in 1875, this Roman-Byzantine-style building houses the burial places of past sovereigns, including Prince Rainier and Princess Grace. From the interior design, you can admire an altarpiece by the Niçois painter Louis Bréa dating from 1500 as well as the high alter and the Episcopal throne of Carrara white marble. Pontifical services are held during great liturgical celebrations accompanied by the harmonies of a grand organ with four keyboards, inaugurated in…
With its international reputation for excellence, this exceptional museum is dedicated to marine science and oceanography. Its collections of marine fauna collected by Monaco’s pioneering Navigator Prince Prince Albert 1 are both invaluable and unique. Along with its world-famous Aquarium where the rarest species of fish and marine life in many magnificent shapes and colors swim about in 90 pools, offers a grandiose and unique perspective of oceanic life. Its latest installment, the Shark Lagoon, is a giant pool measuring…
Charles Garnier, the architect of the opera house in Paris, built the Casino in 1878. The “atrium,” paved in marble, is surrounded by 28 Ionic columns in onyx. It leads into the auditorium of the opera, called the “Salle Garnier,” which is decorated in red and gold, with a profusion of bas-reliefs, frescoes and sculptures. Here, for more than a century, outstanding international performances of opera, ballet and concerts have been staged. The “gaming rooms” comprise a succession of numerous…
