Monte Carlo with its casino is not only the economic success of Monaco, but also a very attractive city.
If Monaco-Ville is the starting point in the history of the state of Monaco, then Monte Carlo is the starting point in the history of the economic success of this country.
For the first time, I saw Monte Carlo from the cliff, on the way to the palace of Prince Grimaldi. From afar, from the side of Monaco-Ville, Monte Carlo looked like a multi-tiered stone jungle. The lush thickets of multi-storey buildings are both fascinated and frightened by their size. Some few years will pass, and new buildings will probably be glued to the clouds, because there will not be a single free square meter around.
Chic and glamor at such a distance were almost invisible. Even the famous casino building, which I then, with great pleasure, took apart with my eyes to pieces, paying tribute to the talent and taste of its architect Charles Garnier, was lost against the background of all kinds of boxes and glass candles, devoid of any individuality.
The views of Monte Carlo
As we approached Monte Carlo, my opinion of this gold-bearing area of Monaco began to gradually change for the better. Despite the fact that there is simply nowhere to roam in the classical sense of the word (firstly, the dimensions of the principality themselves are ridiculous, and, secondly, the available land is used to the maximum for profit), lovely gardens are laid out on its territory, and every unoccupied piece of land is certainly landscaped.
The rooftops of buildings located along the coastline are excellent observation platforms. From here you can see the Larvotto beach area with the round building of the center of Monte-Carlo Sporting, and the pier with yachts, and the ramparts in Monaco-Ville.
Grimaldi Forum
We walked to the casino through the space of the Larvotto area. From the total mass of the same type and large, boring buildings, the building of the congress center, which is called the Grimaldi Forum, stood out in it. I can’t say that the Grimaldi Forum has a stunning appearance from the category of something new in architecture, but this building, in my opinion, is one of the clear examples of how the Principality effectively solves the problem of land scarcity and earns a lot of money by holding various events.
The height of the Grimaldi Forum has a minus sign. Seven of its floors are located underground. Sea water is used for heating and air conditioning. And in terms of content, the Grimaldi Forum was conceived as a multifunctional high-tech transformer. Therefore, it can successfully organize anything: ballet, opera and drama performances (because there is a theater stage), festivals, congresses, exhibitions, seminars, balls and banquets.
Casino building
The mountain, on which the gambling business of Monaco has flourished for a century and a half, got its name in honor of one of the princes of Monaco - Charles III. Now this mountain is more correctly called a high hill. A staircase leads to the hill, surrounded by lush, but artistically impeccable thickets. Agaves, cacti and, in principle, succulents in Monaco are just a feast for the eyes.
The Casino in Monte Carlo is a complex of buildings that includes the gambling house itself, the Salon de Jeux Prives restaurant, and other institutions for serving the playing public.
On the way to the main entrance, while the crowd still does not interfere, we examined the exterior finish of the buildings. Yes, Belle Epoque got such a name for a reason, and also for such architecture - for the elegance and luxury.
They tried to open casinos in Monaco even before the development of Monte Carlo. But these attempts to turn the principality into a second Baden-Baden; before the invitation of Francois Blanc, it could not be called successful. The inconvenience of the location, the underdeveloped resort service... Which of the rich people with high needs will go to rest and play in such conditions?
The business acumen, energy and resources of Francois Blanc, a former manager of a Hamburg casino and an innovator in the gambling business, helped triumphantly get out of this situation. Francois Blanc invited the best architects and decorators to create a premium gambling house and invested in the creation of an infrastructure adequate to the high status of this institution: with a hotel, restaurants, parks, access roads, etc.
It's no secret that many ordinary people confidently put an equal sign between the casino and the principality's economy. It is obvious that after a walk along the "golden mile" of Monte Carlo, such a picture of the world can line up in your head, but it is still more correct to judge the economy according to data from official sources. The casino, of course, uninterruptedly supplies the country with not just big, but huge money, but they are trying to untie the economy of the principality from roulette and VIP tourism.
Heavenly Mirror
While in Monte Carlo, I was once again convinced that I did not understand the meaning of many contemporary works of art. I thought that in front of the casino building, above the water cascade, an ordinary mirror lens was installed. How wrong I was. As it turned out, this item is the work of the British-Indian sculptor Anish Kapoor and is called "Heavenly Mirror". So the mirror in Monte Carlo is not simple, but ... golden, more precisely, mega-conceptual. And it exists in several copies.
I must say that at that time the miniature principality needed a casino like bread or air. Having lost the cities of Menton and Roquebrune, that is, having given fertile lands to France, which regularly produced abundant citrus crops, Monaco found itself on the verge of poverty.
Opera House
What I like most about the casino building is its “opera part”. At the end of the building there is a bust of the composer Jules Massenet, whose operas have been repeatedly staged in this theater. In general, the list of names that shone on these theatrical stages is deeply respected. Sarah Bernhardt, Nijinsky, Caruso, Chaliapin, Muzio...
The most attractive part of the casino building for me is the facade facing the sea. In addition, there is much more greenery on the terraces near the sea and there is no such crowding. You can stand and look at the intricate turrets, stucco, mosaics.
In one of the gardens, laid out near the casino, they settled a bronze composition by F. Botero "Adam and Eve". Since this Colombian artist and sculptor had a great weakness for corpulent figures, the images of the progenitors of people he created are made in the same manner.
I am not a fan of Botero's work, it is definitely not mine, but every nation has its own ideas about the beauty of the male and female body. Moreover, such ideas can change from century to century. And if, for example, for some, the cherished 90-60-90 is the standard of beauty, then for others they have the right to life, having 120-120-120.
The views from the terraces, compared to those from the cliffs in Monaco-Ville, are not as stunning, but they are good for their emphasis on the sea. In the same place, you can appreciate both the stunning color and the almost perfect purity of sea water.
Near the casino there is another wonderful creation of the Belle Epoque - Hotel de Paris.
One level below (i.e. under the garden) is a multi-colored roof belonging to the Rainier III Auditorium and Convention Center buildings. The roof was painted by Victor Vasarely, one of the outstanding masters of the so-called optical art, or, in short, op art. And the roof, as I noticed, is clearly visible even from Monaco-Ville.
The night at Maybourne Riviera Hotel
We spent the night here at The Maybourne Riviera hotel. A bit expensive for us, but it's Monaco. Those who want to relax after wandering in the city will be satisfied there with all the service and comfort they offer. BTW, the kitchen here is perfect.
And yet, having felt a little chic life that the citizens of the principality live, and they live without paying taxes, in a luxurious climate, among cleanliness, on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, I realized that I don’t want to live here - I want to go home, to my native pine trees, stormy sea, and beautiful sunsets!
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Photos are taken by me.