Monte Carlo

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

In 1856, Charles III of Monaco granted a concession to Napoleon Langlois and Albert Aubert to establish a sea-bathing facility and to build a German-style casino. The initial casino opened in La Condamine in 1862 but was unsuccessful. It relocated several times before reaching its present location in the 'Les Spélugues' (The Caves) area of Monte Carlo. Success came slowly, largely because Monaco was inaccessible from much of Europe. The railway, installed in 1868, brought with it an influx of people, and Monte Carlo grew in wealth. Saint-Charles Church on Monte Carlo's Avenue Sainte-Charles was completed in 1883. It was restored in its centenary year. The municipality of Monte Carlo was created in 1911, when the constitution divided the principality of Monaco into three municipalities. Monte Carlo encompassed the existing neighborhoods of La Rousse/Saint Roman, Larvotto/Bas Moulins, and Saint Michel. The municipalities merged in 1917, after accusations that the government used them to 'divide and conquer'. Since then, they became wards. Today, Monaco is divided into 9 wards, which are grouped into 4 quartiers. The quarter of Monte Carlo was served by tramways from 1898 to 1931. In 2003 a new cruise ship pier was completed in the harbour at Monte Carlo.

In Their Own Story

The Mediterranean breeze carried the scent of salt and jet fuel. Bond crouched behind a stack of crates, watching the silhouette of the transport plane against the floodlit runway. A guard patrol passed, boots echoing on concrete. He moved, silent as a shadow, toward the hangar's side entrance. The mission was simple: plant the charges and get out. But in Monte Carlo, nothing was ever simple.

Reader's Guide

Monte Carlo has an area of 28.14 hectares (0.28 square kilometers or 69.19 acres) and faces the Mediterranean Sea, bordered to the west by Ravin de Sainte-Dévote and La Condamine, and to the east by La Rousse and Larvotto. Monte Carlo has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification: Csa). As a result, it has hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. Monte Carlo is home to an ATP Masters 1000 tennis tournament during the clay court season usually played during the end of March through mid to late April. Monte Carlo is host to most of the Circuit de Monaco, on which the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix takes place. It also hosts world championship boxing bouts, the European Poker Tour Grand Final and the World Backgammon Championship as well as the Monaco International Auto Show, fashion shows and other events. The Monte Carlo Rally is one of the longest running and most respected car rallies; from 1973 to 2008 and again from 2012, it marks the start of World Rally Championship season. Monte Carlo has been visited by royalty as well as the public and movie stars for decades. Monte Carlo is one of Europe's leading tourist resorts, although many of the key tourist destinations are in other parts of Monaco, including such attractions as Monaco Cathedral, the Napoleon Museum, the Oceanographic Museum and aquarium, and the Prince's Palace, all of which are in Monaco-Ville.

Did You Know?

• The permanent population of the ward of Monte Carlo is about 3,500, while that of the quarter is about 15,000.
• Monte Carlo has an area of 28.14 hectares (0.28 square kilometers or 69.19 acres).
• The initial casino opened in La Condamine in 1862 but was unsuccessful; it relocated several times before reaching its present location in the 'Les Spélugues' area.
• The railway, installed in 1868, brought an influx of people and Monte Carlo grew in wealth.
• The municipality of Monte Carlo was created in 1911, but the municipalities merged in 1917 after accusations that the government used them to 'divide and conquer'.