Tag: Monaco

On the rock that hosts the historic old town of Monaco you can find the main church of the country, the cathedral Notre-Dame-Immaculée. It is located between the Palais Princier and the Musée Océanographique; the wonderful Jardins Saint-Martin begin directly next to it. The church is the burial site of the Grimaldi family reigning Monaco – rulers of the country during the last 500 years have found their final rest here. The current church itself was built from the year 1875 on the walls of an earlier church building and was inaugurated in 1911.

When you walk on foot up to the rock (le Rocher) hosting the old city center of Monaco you’ll pass the stone walls and through the ancient city gate – after that you’re standing directly in front of the Palais Princier de Monaco, the seat of the sovereign prince. The oldest parts of the home of the Grimaldi family date back to the year 1191 when this place was a fortress of the Republic of Genoa. Since 1520 it has evolved into a royal palace with all amenities and a changing of the guard ceremony every day at 11:55.

It is just a city quarter of Monaco, but Monte-Carlo (or Munte-Carlu in local language) is very well known: for the Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo but especially for the famous casino. The Casino de Monte Carlo building surrounded by a park high above Port Hercule dates back to the year 1858 and even if you’ve never been there you’ve probably seen it before: in James Bond movies like Casino Royale (2006), Golden Eye (1995) or Never Say Never Again (1983). Getting into it is rather cheap (17 Euros) – but you need to wear a suite and a tie.