The Principality
of Monaco is comprised of three main parts : Monaco (the Rock and
Prince's Palace), La Condamine (a bustling shopping area at the
foot of the Rock) and Monte-Carlo, the central area around the Casino
with the classiest hotels.
An independent
sovereign state located between the foot of the Southern Alps and
the Mediterranean, the Principality of Monaco borders on several
French villages: La Turbie, and Roquebrune-Cap-Martin.
At the foot
of the southern Alps, in the far south-eastern corner of France,
bordering the Mediterranean sea, the Principality of Monaco benefits
from an exceptionally mild climate which makes it a particularly
sought-after destination. Its climate is extraordinarily mild due
to the combined influences of the Alps and the Mediterranean, thus
making Monaco a place where one can make the most of sea and mountains.
A focal point
on the Riviera, the Principality of Monaco benefits from the proximity
of Nice Côte d'Azur International Airport which offers daily
flights to Europe's capital cities and, of course, to other continents.
Monaco is also connected to a particularly efficient motorway network.
Constant exposure
to the international community, modernity, and sheer determination
have all contributed to the Principality's ability to develop and
ensure its independence. The very origins of the Principality illustrate
this; over seven centuries the Princes of Monaco have transformed
what was once barren land and arid rock into an economic success
story.
History, here
like anywhere else, is very much part of the future. Monaco's history
started in 1297 when François Grimaldi liberated Monaco;
thus began the reign of the Grimaldi dynasty.
In ancient history,
the Rock of Monaco was a shelter for primitive populations. history
of Monaco itself really started in the 13th Century. On 10th June
1215, the Genoan family of the Gibelins laid the first stone of
the castle, which is still today the Prince's Palace.
To attract new
inhabitants, the initial masters of the Rock offered advantageous
conditions to newcomers : territorial concessions, tax exemption.
For 700 years, the history of Monaco has been linked to that of
the Grimaldi Dynasty which has celebrated in 1997, the anniversary
of its accession to the Principality of Monaco.
