Residence of the Prince of Monaco. Prince's Palace in Monaco. History of the state and the princely residence

“... folded by nature itself

fortressb, the happiest tribe of the fatherland,

this world is special, this wonderful diamond in silver

the rim of the ocean… this precious land…”

(W. Shakespeare)

About the country, its history and people

The Principality of Monaco is a tiny sovereign state, sandwiched between mountains and sea, with a population of 38,000 people. The area of ​​the country is 2.02 sq. km, is the second smallest area after the Vatican. The length of the coastline is 4.1 km. The length of land borders is 4.4 km. The highest point of Monaco (163 m above sea level) is located on the southern slope of Mount Agel, whose peak (1148 m) is located in France. Over the past 20 years, the country's territory has increased by almost 40 hectares due to the drainage of marine areas. The principality is in the world leaders (2nd place) in terms of population density of 17.8 people / sq. km. km. It borders the French department of Alpes-Maritimes, so half of its inhabitants are French, the rest consists mainly of Monegasques and Italians. There is no consensus on the origin and meaning of the name Monaco. According to one hypothesis, in the 6th century BC, the Ligurian tribes founded the colony of Monoikos on this site, the name of which comes from the name of the Greek mythological hero Hercules - “Portus Hercules Monoiki”, that is, “the port of the lonely Hercules”. The Roman emperor Julian the Apostate also wrote about the participation of Hercules in the construction of the port of Monaco and the coastal road. On this road, many altars dedicated to Hercules were placed, and a temple was built in his honor on the rock of Monaco. Monoeci means "lonely" and Monoikos means "secluded house", which may refer to the temple of Hercules on the rock or the isolated community of inhabitants who inhabited the area around the rock. The official language of Monaco is French, the spoken language is the Monegasque dialect (a mixture of the Provençal dialect of French with the Ligurian dialect of Italian). Monaco includes the merged districts - the cities of Monaco-Ville, Monte Carlo, La Condamine and Fontvieille (industrial area). Luxurious apartments overlooking the Mediterranean's Ligurian Sea are home to millionaires attracted to Monaco's mild climate and low taxes.

The name of the country comes from the name of one of the Ligurian tribes that once inhabited these places. In ancient times, the local port, known as the "Port of Hercules" and mentioned in many legends of the Mediterranean, was called "Portus Herculis Monoesi". In the 12th century, Genoa secured from the Holy Roman Emperor and King of Germany Henry VI the right to own the port and the rock of Monaco, and in 1215 a fortress was built, which currently houses the prince's palace.

In 1295, Grimaldi, a noble Genoese family supporting the Guelph party, upon the coming to power of the Ghibelline party, was expelled from his native city and settled in Provence, and in 1297 Francesco Grimaldi, nicknamed "Malicia" ("Insidious"), disguised as a monk , knocked on a cold January evening at the gates of the fortress. He was inspired and Francesco with his associates broke into the castle and took possession of it. Near the palace we are met by a monument to the ancestor of the family, Francesco Grimaldi, nicknamed "The Sly One" - one of the masterpieces of the Dutch sculptor Kiss Verkada. This sculpture was presented to Rainier III on the 700th anniversary of the Grimaldi dynasty.

The dominion of the Grimaldi lasted only four years, and in 1301 they were forced to again cede the fortress to the Republic of Genoa. After that, Monaco repeatedly regained its independence, then fell under the protectorate of Spain or France. In 1911, Prince Albert I adopted the first Constitution of the Principality, and Prince Rainier III, who ascended the throne on May 9, 1949, turned his country into a modern state with high level life, with a high average life expectancy (according to 2008 - 80 years), in one of the most popular centers international tourism. Currently, the son of Rainier III, Prince Albert II, who ascended the throne after the death of his father in 2005, rules.

Monaco is a country like a large elite club, the entrance to which is opened by aristocratic origin, fame, success and money. Only about 5,000 inhabitants of the country have Monegasque citizenship. By purchasing real estate in Monaco, you do not receive citizenship. Only the head of state, Prince Albert II, can issue a verdict on obtaining citizenship. Over the past 50 years, only 5 foreigners have been honored to become citizens of Monaco

Prince's Palace and Old city

We begin our acquaintance with the Principality of Monaco with a big climb leading to the Rock.

Climbing this road, we admire the bastions of the ancient fortress, especially the Orion tower. Here is the main attraction of Monaco - the Prince's Palace, which performs its direct function and serves as the official residence of the princely family. At the same time, the palace houses a large library, a collection of objects and personal belongings of Emperor Napoleon, a collection of old military uniforms, samples of Monaco money from 1640, postage stamps, paintings and engravings. Previously, on the site of the palace there was a Genoese fortress, erected in 1215, fragments of which can still be seen today, especially in places adjacent to the rocks. This place is called the old town or Monaco-Ville. The palace is located, as expected, on Palace Square.

After passing through the historical gates, we enter the square in front of the Palace, the protection of which is currently entrusted to the honorary guard of the Carabinieri. At the initial stage of the history of Monaco, this guard was formed from the ranks of the National Militia, and from June 1870 - from among the former Swiss Guards of the Vatican, which is why they are called "Papists". The traditional change of carabinieri (whose white uniforms are decorated with red in summer and black galloons in winter) takes place daily at 11 a.m. 50 min. accompanied by a brass band of the Guards. It is noteworthy that the armed forces consist of 82 people, the military, who is also the National Orchestra of Monaco, has 85 people. So it is quite possible to consider that in this country art has won violence.

On Palace Square there is a battery of cannons from the era of Louis XIV. In the past, 18 cannons performed the functions of protecting the fortress.

Nearby is a monument to Albert I.

On the way from the Prince's Palace, we pass into the Old Town, along the quiet streets of which there are many cozy restaurants where you can taste typical Monegasque dishes such as "barbajuan" or croquettes. There are many souvenir shops everywhere.

Next to the building of the Court of Monaco is located Cathedral which was opened in 1884.

The cathedral is made of white stone, which is not typical for Catholic cathedrals.

Representatives of thirty-five generations of the Grimaldi family and Princess Grace are buried here.

On either side of the main altar are the mortuary chapel of the Princes of Monaco and the Chapel of the Holy Sacrament.

From the upper part, the residential houses of the Monegasques, located below, by the sea, are clearly visible.

San Martin Garden and Oceanographic Museum

We turn to a picturesque garden full of exotic plants, small ponds with floating goldfish.

The territory of the Jardin Exotic garden is relatively small, but the total planting area is much larger due to the tiered placement of plants. Breathtaking views of the Italian and French Riviera and a magnificent panorama of the entire Principality of Monaco open up from the rocky plateaus and garden terraces. To the charm of this extraordinary place, decorated with the most outlandish vegetation, no one can remain indifferent. Here, in the open ground, the pearls of the flora of Mexico, Madagascar, Chile, California grow ... The garden is dotted with paths, passages and bridges, which are made of materials imitating wood.

The gardens of St. Martin are decorated with interesting sculptural compositions - this is a kind of museum under open sky, where you can leisurely walk, look at sculptures and breathe in the intoxicating sea air. One of the masterpieces is the sculpture "Crossroads of Life" by Edouard-Marcel Sandoz (1967).

Before us is one of the many statues - Hector and Andromache (sculptor Giorgio de Chirico), which represents the scene of Hector's farewell to his loving wife Andromache before he left the walls of the city of Troy and went to battle with the Achaeans. He stands bravely, face to face with death, she is the embodiment of life, her hair symbolically wraps around his camp as a protection.

The picturesque path of the garden of San Martin leads us to the Oceanographic Museum, the way to which was shown to us by the illustrious "guide" - a statue of Prince Albert I - a sailor, towering on the seashore. The figure looks like the prince is about to set off to travel around the Mediterranean.

And the museum itself crashed into a rock above the sea itself.

More about the Oceanographic Museum. A prominent oceanographer, Prince Albert I founded this museum in 1899.

For many years, the museum was managed by Jacques-Yves Cousteau, a world famous traveler and explorer of the oceans, who continued the research work of its creator and at the same time shared the results of this work with a large number of people. No wonder the famous bathyscaphe Cousteau stands at the entrance to the museum.

A visit to the museum includes a visit to the "Aquarium", where more than 70 halls show the fauna of all the seas of the planet. In the Central Hall there is a permanent exhibition about the expeditions of Prince Albert I, and in the Physical Oceanography Hall there is an exposition dedicated to the planet's ecosystems.

The terrace of the Oceanographic Museum offers amazing views of the museum

and the Mediterranean coast.

We leave the Old City and go down. Along the way, we came across this pretty fountain.

In plan, the palace is an irregular rectangle with a courtyard. The central façade of the palace facing the sea overlooks the square, where there are sentry boxes and cannons. On the sides of the façade rise four square watchtowers with jagged edges, which are left over from the Genoese fortress. The flag flying at the top of the tower of St. Mary announces that the prince is in the palace. Above the white-stone portal is the coat of arms of Monaco in the form of a bas-relief.

Tourists are allowed to visit only the front part of the building. And only in the summer, because the rest of the time all these rooms are used for their intended purpose.

Visitors entering the courtyard are greeted with calm and solemn beauty. The walls of the galleries are decorated with frescoes depicting mythological characters. Experts from the restoration department of the Louvre in Paris worked on their restoration in the second half of the 20th century. Snow-white marble staircases, polished stone floors with patterns, a wide and bright courtyard leave a feeling of restraint and splendor at the same time. In the depths of the courtyard is the palace chapel of St. John the Baptist, the construction of which dates back to the 17th century. On its facade you can see frescoes with scenes from the life of Saint Devota. Since 1959, musical concerts have been held in the courtyard in the summer. The initiator of their holding was Prince Rainier III, a connoisseur and lover of music. The trapezoidal shape of the courtyard provides excellent acoustics.

Adjacent to the south wing is a staircase made of Carrara marble, which outwardly resembles the famous staircase of the Palace of Fontainebleau. It was built in the 17th century. The staircase leads to the Hercules Gallery, which is decorated with frescoes from the 17th century depicting the exploits of Hercules and other mythological heroes. Claude Vignon and the Genoese master Orazio de Ferrari worked on the creation of the frescoes. The Mirror Gallery is located in the same wing, followed by a suite of ceremonial apartments intended for solemn receptions of foreign rulers. The blue salon (Salon Bleu) with a type-setting marble floor is used for official receptions: its walls are covered with blue silk damask wallpaper. Italian furniture with gilding dates back to the 19th century. The throne room hosts the ceremony of taking the oath of allegiance to the prince by the highest officials of Monaco, as well as official events related to the princely family. Above the throne in the Empire style rises the coat of arms of the House of Grimaldi, the motto of which, translated from Latin, reads "With God's help" (Deo Juvante). The frescoes, which are considered to be the author of Orazio de Ferrari, depict Alexander the Great and the signs of the zodiac. One of the halls bears the name of Cardinal Mazarin in memory of the fact that in 1777 Prince Honore IV married Louise d'Aumont-Mazarin, descended from Cardinal Hortense Mancini's own niece.

The palace also houses several museum collections. The Napoleon Museum (Musée des Souvenirs napoléoniens) displays more than 1,000 objects and documents that keep the memory of the French emperor, including clothes and personal belongings of Napoleon. The museum also houses the State Archives of Monaco - medals, maps, old engravings and drawings depicting the Principality.

In a special room built at the foot of the cliff, there is a museum of vintage cars, which is based on the collection collected by Prince Rainier III. The museum's oldest exhibit is De Dion-Bouton from 1903. In addition, there you can see cars from the 20s and 30s and American luxury cars produced after World War II.

Every day at 11:55 in front of the entrance to the palace, on the palace square, surrounded by a battery of cannons from the time of Louis XIV, the ceremony of changing the guard begins. Carabinieri in ceremonial uniforms (in winter - in dark, and in summer - in light) perform a ritual that has not changed for more than a century.

Practical Information

Opening hours: April 10.30-18.00, May-September 9.30-18.30, October 10.00-17.30. Ticket offices close 30 minutes earlier.

Price: entrance fee: 7 euros, children (8-14 years old) and students - 3.50 euros.

Address: Monaco, Monaco-Ville, Palais Princier.

The Prince's Palace is one of the most interesting sights of Monaco. It serves both as the official residence of the rulers of the state from the Grimaldi family, and as the most attractive place for tourists to visit. Indeed, this wonderful palace impresses with its majestic appearance. The Genoese family of Grimaldi, this attraction of Monte Carlo belongs to the end of the thirteenth century.

History of the Prince's Palace

Initially, on the site of the current palace, there was a Genoese fortress built back in 1215 by Fulk de Casselo. And in 1297, Francesco Grimaldi, expelled from Genoa, disguised himself as a monk and secretly entered the fortress. He managed to occupy it, and since then it belonged to the famous Grimaldi family. This dynasty became the oldest of the ruling to this day in Europe.

A lot happened to the fortress, and in the end, the Prince's Palace was erected in its place. Despite the fact that other European sovereigns of that time built luxurious palaces in the Baroque style, the Monegasque rulers understood that their residence must be securely fortified. Relations with the neighboring states of Monaco were very unreliable, which means that it was necessary to secure their space as much as possible.

It was largely because of this unique requirement for the time that the Prince's Palace became such a stunning piece of architecture. It was the only one of its kind, not shining with excessive luxury, but reliably fortified on all fronts. However, even such measures did not prevent the French troops from capturing the palace at the end of the 18th century.

Palace today

All tourists visiting Monaco can notice that Monaco-Ville - the area in which the palace is located - is a very well-groomed area of ​​​​the city. By the way, if a flag is raised above the roof of the princely palace, it means that Prince Rainier the Third is at home.

In the palace you can see the Italian gallery, the Salon of Louis XV, the throne room, the Salon of Mazarin and much more.

Outdoor concerts are held in the courtyard during the summer.

In one wing of the palace there is a museum open to the public, in the other, southwest, there are private chambers of Grimaldi. In summer, some of these chambers also become open to travelers.

An interesting fact: in 1956, Rainier married the famous Hollywood star, who to this day is the subject of admiration and imitation for many - Grace Kelly. This actress starred in 3 films of the legendary Hitchcock, and in 1982 she tragically died in a car accident. A street is even named after the actress - Princess Grace Avenue. By the way, the fabulous and magical National Puppet Museum is located on this street. It is here that the door to childhood opens slightly and the edges of reality are erased.

When visiting a dwarf principality on the coast mediterranean sea Not only casinos and the famous races on the track in Monte Carlo can be interesting, but also the Prince's Palace in Monaco-Ville, which became the ancestor of this entire area. A trip here would not be complete without visiting this gem of the Cote d'Azur.

Where the Genoese fortress stood seven centuries ago, the Prince's Palace is now located in Monaco. This castle, built on top of a cliff, is the current residence of the ruling monarchs to this day. Part of the palace is open for official events, while the other, southwestern, is residential and is inhabited by members of the princely family.

You can get on an excursion to the Palace of the Prince of Monaco for a set fee:

• children 8-14 years old - 4 euros, couples 5 euros;
• adults - 8 euros, pairs - 11.5 euros.

The palace itself is divided into four parts - residential, official, ceremonial dining room and guest quarters, as well as the church. If you have seen from afar how the flag flutters over the roof of the palace, then this means that Rainier III, the current Prince of Monaco, is now in his residence. In the summer, the Palace of the Prince of Monaco partially opens its apartments for inspection by tourists, and the rest of the time the premises are used for their intended purpose - state affairs are being done here.

Outside the palace are snow-white columns and mosaic facades, and in the courtyard you can see frescoes depicting various heroes of myths and legends. To recreate the former beauty, experts from the Louvre itself worked on decoration in the middle of the last century.

The patio has been used for concerts for more than 50 years, because thanks to the excellent acoustics, there is an unsurpassed sound. The courtyard is lined with beautiful colored mosaics.

The interior of the palace is everywhere reminiscent of the times of Louis XIV - this is a pompous salon in yellow and blue, and the Moorish decoration of the Mazarin salon. Art lovers will appreciate the art gallery with works by Italian masters. The throne room with a huge fireplace is incredible - solemn ceremonies are held here to this day. The tower of St. Mary is built of white stone, which was brought here by Albert I from the town of La Turbie.

There are several ways to get to the main structure of Monaco: from the sea, walk up the stairs in the rock or take bus number 11, getting off at the Prince's Palace stop.

Monaco is located in the zone of comfortable climate, which is exactly defined by the expression “neither hot nor cold”, because the winter here is moderately warm, and the summer is not very hot. In winter, the Principality is protected from the northern winds by the Alpes-Maritimes, and in summer the sea winds bring coolness. It is no coincidence that the capital, Monte Carlo, was chosen as the place of the world casino, where the strong and rich of this world come to lose their millions.

A nice bonus only for our readers - a discount coupon when paying for tours on the site until October 31:

• AF500guruturizma - promo code for 500 rubles for tours from 40,000 rubles
• AFTA2000Guru - promo code for 2,000 rubles. for tours to Thailand from 100,000 rubles.
• AF2000TGuruturizma - promo code for 2,000 rubles. for tours to Tunisia from 100,000 rubles.

The cathedral is a neo-Romanesque building made of white stone, with magnificent icons and church utensils. Inside the temple is a large organ. Among the most significant works of art are the altarpieces by the great clerical painter Brea Louis. Carrara marble adorns part of the buildings of the Cathedral. On the walls are paintings depicting the Virgin Mary, Jesus in infancy. Here are the chapel of the Baptism, the font, the statue of Bishop Peruchot Louis-Lazar. In general, there are many unique and expensive paintings by great artists on the territory of the temple, which are highly valued by connoisseurs of art and antiquity. It is also noteworthy that next to each painting or a small architectural monument there is a tablet describing the history and the author of the creation.

Address: Monaco, rue Colonel Bellando de Castro, 4. The doors of the Cathedral are open on religious holidays, admission is free.

Japanese Garden in Monte Carlo

The Japanese Garden in Monaco is located on Princess Gray Kelly Avenue, who died in a car accident. It was she who dreamed of such a garden during her lifetime. In the early 90s, the famous Japanese landscape designer and designer managed to realize this idea. Oscar-winning flower show Yassu Beppu, at the request of Prince Rainier III, began to recreate a piece of Japan in the very amazing place Europe. As conceived by Yassu, the Japanese Garden was supposed to combine the principles and styles inherent in the landscapes of this island nation. On the territory of about 40 hectares there are three obligatory

It was not easy to create a delicate Japanese garden under the scorching Mediterranean sun. Yassu Beppe, together with a team of like-minded people, managed to protect the garden from the harsh rays of the hot sun. A dense row of pine trees along the perimeter reliably protects with its shadow unique nature Japan. In accordance with the philosophy of the ancient teachings of "Taoism", places for meditation, immersion in one's own thoughts, and yoga have been recreated in the garden. These hidden corners of the artificial fog garden are almost never empty. Water is of particular importance in the garden. According to the philosophy of the ancients, landscapes necessarily include reservoirs, ponds, streams and streams.

It took almost 18 months of painstaking work to recreate a small paradise. The Yassu Beppe team brought and acclimatized most of the flora from Japanese nurseries in the neighboring countries of France, Spain, Italy and Germany. For many weeks, suitable stone blocks and cliffs were searched for for the construction of water elements. After the completion of this project, the garden was blessed by the priest of the Shinto shrine, and it opened its doors to the first connoisseurs of Japanese nature.

Location of the Japanese Garden: Avenue Princesse-Grâce, 98000 Monte Carlo. For visitors, the garden is open all year round: from the end of autumn (November) to March from 9 am to 6 pm, April-October until 7 pm. You can see the beauty of the famous Japanese designer for free.