Monaco

Summer Holiday 2009, A little bit of Nice and more of Monaco
Iso-Veikka by the sea Iso-Veikka close to Nice admiring the Mediterranean. : 2009, Iso-Veikka, Nizza, Ranska, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Le Semaphore A cape pointing outwards making a nice, safe harbour : 2009, Nizza, Ranska, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Nice The town of Nice seen from the Cap de Nice : 2009, Nizza, Ranska, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Nice Nice harbour are seen from Cap de Nice : 2009, Nizza, Ranska, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko
Fort Mont Alban Aided by Charles V'and his Italian engineers, the new Duke of Savoy, Emmanuel Philibert, made plans for the defence of Nice and its coastline. The fort on the hill of Mont Alban formed part of this global defence plan. It was built in about 5 years between 1557 an 1562. It consists of a square, each side about 45m long, with a bastion'on each corner. Each bastion has a small watchtower (sentry post). After the destruction of its fortifications, Nice’s military role is over. In 1748, Fort Mont Alban was captured by the Piedmontese. It also saw action at the end of the 18th century during the French Revolutionary Wars, being captured by the Austrians in 1800. For the first half of the 19th century the fort was used as a prison. : 2009, Nizza, Ranska, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Tearing down Making room for new buildings in Monaco : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Registration plate A Monaco registration plate on a brand new Lexus. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Monaco panorama Monaco harbour and new town seen from the old town : 2009, EOS 5D, Monaco, city, kaupunki, kesäloma, maisema, panoraama, panorama, scenery, summer holiday
Monaco A general view of the city : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Monaco Harbour area : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Town wall Monaco-Ville town walls. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko The Gate The gate to Monaco-Ville.
Guard post Guard post on top of the town wall with good views around. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko The Prince's Palace The Prince's Palace of Monaco is the official residence of the Prince of Monaco. Built in 1191 as a Genoese fortress, during its long and often dramatic history it has been bombarded and besieged by many foreign powers. Since the end of the 13th century, it has been the stronghold and home of the Grimaldi family who first captured it in 1297. The Grimaldi ruled the area first as feudal lords, and from the 17th century as sovereign princes, but their power was often derived from fragile agreements with their larger and stronger neighbours. The palace is a blend of architectural styles; its ancient origins are indicated by a lack of symmetry. Thus to evaluate the architecture, wings and blocks have to be observed separately. The principal façade appears as a terrace of Renaissance style palazzi from differing periods of the Renaissance era which—even though they form only one palace—is exactly what they are. These wings are however united by their common rusticated ground floor. This Renaissance architecture seems to mask earlier fortifications, the towers of which rise behind the differing classical façades. These towers—many complete with crenellations and machicolations—were actually mostly rebuilt during the 19th century. At the rear of the palace the original medieval fortifications seem untouched by time. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko The Prince's Palace The Prince's Palace of Monaco is the official residence of the Prince of Monaco. Built in 1191 as a Genoese fortress, during its long and often dramatic history it has been bombarded and besieged by many foreign powers. Since the end of the 13th century, it has been the stronghold and home of the Grimaldi family who first captured it in 1297. The Grimaldi ruled the area first as feudal lords, and from the 17th century as sovereign princes, but their power was often derived from fragile agreements with their larger and stronger neighbours. The palace is a blend of architectural styles; its ancient origins are indicated by a lack of symmetry. Thus to evaluate the architecture, wings and blocks have to be observed separately. The principal façade appears as a terrace of Renaissance style palazzi from differing periods of the Renaissance era which—even though they form only one palace—is exactly what they are. These wings are however united by their common rusticated ground floor. This Renaissance architecture seems to mask earlier fortifications, the towers of which rise behind the differing classical façades. These towers—many complete with crenellations and machicolations—were actually mostly rebuilt during the 19th century. At the rear of the palace the original medieval fortifications seem untouched by time. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Statue of Francesco Grimaldi Statue of Francesco Grimaldi, "Il Malizia" ("the Cunning"), disguised as a monk with a dagger hidden under the cloak of his habit. However, he was ousted by the Genoese just four years later. The Grimaldi family purchased Monaco from the Crown of Aragon in 1419. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko
Hommage des Colonies Etrangeres A Memorial to commemmorate the 25th reign of Prince Albert 1 : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Cannon A small cannon located near the Prince's Palace : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Cannonballs Unfortunately these were welded together, thus unusable : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Rue des Remparts A punch of tourists resting close to the town wall beside Rue des Remparts : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko
Palace Square Beautiful old building surrounding the square, I especially liked the Venetian-style palace in the background. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Caserne des carabiniers du Prince This beautiful palace houses the Prince's guards, so in effective, it's a police station of sorts. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Place du Palais One police guarding the square in front of the Prince's palace. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Parfums This shop must sell Heavenlike perfumes. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko
Narrow street One of narrow streets of Monaco-Ville. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko La Chapelle de la Miséricorde Chapelle de la Misericorde, built in 1639, one of the oldest buildings in the principality. It is famous for being the starting point of a torchlit religious procession by local residents that takes place on the eve of Good Friday each year. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Squeezed A nice house squeezed between the church and another house. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Santa Devota Mosaic picture : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko
Palais de Justice This Palace was built in 1924, on the personal initiative of HSH Prince Louis II and inaugurated on May 1st 1930. It is built out of sea tuff, a grey and porous stone, which was also used for Monaco's ramparts. This stone contains many small pebbles, and sometimes mollusc shells.The bust of the Sovereign Honoré II, dated 1568, appears on one of the Palace façades. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Free Bonelli 2009, by Adeline de Monsignat. To honor the beauty and the rights of the Bonelli Eagles, Nataly Cnyrim-Kimmel has conceived an art project entitled, “The Beauty and The Beast. Self-Destruction”. While the sculptural project is clearly making reference to the famous fairy tale, it is also offering a new version of the story, with an eco-reading to it. In this interpretation, Beauty lies in the animal world and Man is revealed to be the Beast, endangering all living beings and as a consequence its own human world. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Saint Nicholas Cathedral Cathédrale Notre-Dame-Immaculée (Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception), also known as Saint Nicholas Cathedral (name of the old church which was demolished in 1874), Monaco Cathedral, is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Monaco in Monaco-Ville, Monaco, where many of the Grimaldis were buried, including Grace Kelly and more recently, Rainier III. The cathedral was built in 1875-1903 and consecrated in 1911, and is on the site of the first parish church in Monaco built in 1252 and dedicated to St. Nicholas. Of note are the retable (circa 1500) to the right of the transept, the Great Altar and the Episcopal throne in white Carrara marble. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Saint Nicholas Cathedral Cathédrale Notre-Dame-Immaculée (Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception), also known as Saint Nicholas Cathedral (name of the old church which was demolished in 1874), Monaco Cathedral, is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Monaco in Monaco-Ville, Monaco, where many of the Grimaldis were buried, including Grace Kelly and more recently, Rainier III. The cathedral was built in 1875-1903 and consecrated in 1911, and is on the site of the first parish church in Monaco built in 1252 and dedicated to St. Nicholas. Of note are the retable (circa 1500) to the right of the transept, the Great Altar and the Episcopal throne in white Carrara marble. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko
Saint Nicholas Cathedral Cathédrale Notre-Dame-Immaculée (Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception), also known as Saint Nicholas Cathedral (name of the old church which was demolished in 1874), Monaco Cathedral, is the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Monaco in Monaco-Ville, Monaco, where many of the Grimaldis were buried, including Grace Kelly and more recently, Rainier III. The cathedral was built in 1875-1903 and consecrated in 1911, and is on the site of the first parish church in Monaco built in 1252 and dedicated to St. Nicholas. Of note are the retable (circa 1500) to the right of the transept, the Great Altar and the Episcopal throne in white Carrara marble. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Bird Another piece of art, this time in a form of a colourful bird : Monaco, bird, lintu, loma, travel Fountain A fountain in Jardins de Saint-Martin : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Maryse au Miroir ou Le Temps Inaltérable A statue by Cyril de la Patelliere : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko
Statue of Prince Albert I Statue of Prince Albert 1st in Saint Martin Park : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Oceanographic Museum The Oceanographic Museum was inaugurated in 1910 by Monaco's modernist reformer, Prince Albert I. Jacques-Yves Cousteau was director from 1957 to 1988. The Museum celebrated its centenary in March 2010, after extensive renovations. This monumental example of highly charged Baroque Revival architecture has an impressive façade above the sea, towering over the sheer cliff face to a height of 85 m. It took 11 years to build, using 100,000 tons of stone from La Turbie. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Oceanographic Museum The Oceanographic Museum was inaugurated in 1910 by Monaco's modernist reformer, Prince Albert I. Jacques-Yves Cousteau was director from 1957 to 1988. The Museum celebrated its centenary in March 2010, after extensive renovations. This monumental example of highly charged Baroque Revival architecture has an impressive façade above the sea, towering over the sheer cliff face to a height of 85 m. It took 11 years to build, using 100,000 tons of stone from La Turbie. : 2009, EOS 5D, Monaco, building, historia, history, kesäloma, rakennus, summer holiday Oceanographic Museum The Oceanographic Museum was inaugurated in 1910 by Monaco's modernist reformer, Prince Albert I. Jacques-Yves Cousteau was director from 1957 to 1988. The Museum celebrated its centenary in March 2010, after extensive renovations. This monumental example of highly charged Baroque Revival architecture has an impressive façade above the sea, towering over the sheer cliff face to a height of 85 m. It took 11 years to build, using 100,000 tons of stone from La Turbie. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko
Oceanographic Museum The Oceanographic Museum was inaugurated in 1910 by Monaco's modernist reformer, Prince Albert I. Jacques-Yves Cousteau was director from 1957 to 1988. The Museum celebrated its centenary in March 2010, after extensive renovations. This monumental example of highly charged Baroque Revival architecture has an impressive façade above the sea, towering over the sheer cliff face to a height of 85 m. It took 11 years to build, using 100,000 tons of stone from La Turbie. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Modest boats Some modest boats in the harbour. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Baby Water jets inside a luxury yacht : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Swimming pool A beautiful swimming pool located at the harbour. The diving platform kinda resembles a diving man, hands pointed forward. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko
Swimming pool A beautiful swimming pool located at the harbour. The diving platform kinda resembles a diving man, hands pointed forward. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Harbour F1 stands are still partially intact, a week after the race. Okay, a bit less than a week actually. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko La Rascasse This restaurant has given it's name to a corner in Monaco GP. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Fangio Juan Manuel Fangio, F1 world champion in 1951, 1954-1957, and his Mercedes-Benz W196 (1955). This statue is sculpted by Catalan artist Joaquim Ros Sabaté. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko
Resting Sightseeing in Monaco was very tiring, as these tourists show. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Party time Kinda strange decorations but it was right after the F1 race so maybe there's a connection. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Porsche Carrera 4S A four-wheel driven dream : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Casino tunnel This tunnel is famous from F1 races. This time another kind of beautiful car enters it :). No, it's not Heppa, but a relative nevertheless. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko
Steamer A bit old-fashioned boat in front of Monaco : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Colours A colourful roof of Auditorium Rainier III : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Adam and Eve Adam and Eve sculpture by Fernando Botero in 1981, situated in gardens near Salle Garnie. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Casino de Monte-Carlo The idea of opening a gambling casino in Monaco belongs to Princess Caroline, a shrewd, business-minded spouse of Prince Florestan I. Revenues from the proposed venture were supposed to save the House of Grimaldi from bankruptcy. The casino had been moved several times, until it finally ended up in the area called Les Spelugues (English: The Caves). Construction at this site began on 13 May 1858 to designs of the Parisian architect Gobineau de la Bretonnerie and was completed in 1863. Gobineau de la Bretonnerie also designed the neighboring Hôtel de Paris (constructed in 1862). Although the casino began to make a profit in 1859, Daval was not up to the task. Just like his predecessors, he was incompetent and lacked the ability to bring the gambling enterprise to the scale envisioned by Princess Caroline. Frustrated, she dispatched her private secretary M. Eyneaud to Germany, hoping to recruit François Blanc, a French entrepreneur and operator of the Bad Homburg casino. Blanc declined the offer. It took a lot of time and persuasion on the part of Princess Caroline to convince the Blancs to move to Monaco. In 1878–79, the casino building was transformed and expanded to designs of Jules Dutrou (1819–1885) and Charles Garnier, the architect who had designed the Paris opera house now known as the Palais Garnier. In 1880–81, the casino was expanded again, to the east of Dutrou's Moorish Room, by the addition of the Trente-Quarante Gaming Room, also designed by Garnier. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko
Casino de Monte-Carlo The idea of opening a gambling casino in Monaco belongs to Princess Caroline, a shrewd, business-minded spouse of Prince Florestan I. Revenues from the proposed venture were supposed to save the House of Grimaldi from bankruptcy. The casino had been moved several times, until it finally ended up in the area called Les Spelugues (English: The Caves). Construction at this site began on 13 May 1858 to designs of the Parisian architect Gobineau de la Bretonnerie and was completed in 1863. Gobineau de la Bretonnerie also designed the neighboring Hôtel de Paris (constructed in 1862). Although the casino began to make a profit in 1859, Daval was not up to the task. Just like his predecessors, he was incompetent and lacked the ability to bring the gambling enterprise to the scale envisioned by Princess Caroline. Frustrated, she dispatched her private secretary M. Eyneaud to Germany, hoping to recruit François Blanc, a French entrepreneur and operator of the Bad Homburg casino. Blanc declined the offer. It took a lot of time and persuasion on the part of Princess Caroline to convince the Blancs to move to Monaco. In 1878–79, the casino building was transformed and expanded to designs of Jules Dutrou (1819–1885) and Charles Garnier, the architect who had designed the Paris opera house now known as the Palais Garnier. In 1880–81, the casino was expanded again, to the east of Dutrou's Moorish Room, by the addition of the Trente-Quarante Gaming Room, also designed by Garnier. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Casino de Monte-Carlo The idea of opening a gambling casino in Monaco belongs to Princess Caroline, a shrewd, business-minded spouse of Prince Florestan I. Revenues from the proposed venture were supposed to save the House of Grimaldi from bankruptcy. The casino had been moved several times, until it finally ended up in the area called Les Spelugues (English: The Caves). Construction at this site began on 13 May 1858 to designs of the Parisian architect Gobineau de la Bretonnerie and was completed in 1863. Gobineau de la Bretonnerie also designed the neighboring Hôtel de Paris (constructed in 1862). Although the casino began to make a profit in 1859, Daval was not up to the task. Just like his predecessors, he was incompetent and lacked the ability to bring the gambling enterprise to the scale envisioned by Princess Caroline. Frustrated, she dispatched her private secretary M. Eyneaud to Germany, hoping to recruit François Blanc, a French entrepreneur and operator of the Bad Homburg casino. Blanc declined the offer. It took a lot of time and persuasion on the part of Princess Caroline to convince the Blancs to move to Monaco. In 1878–79, the casino building was transformed and expanded to designs of Jules Dutrou (1819–1885) and Charles Garnier, the architect who had designed the Paris opera house now known as the Palais Garnier. In 1880–81, the casino was expanded again, to the east of Dutrou's Moorish Room, by the addition of the Trente-Quarante Gaming Room, also designed by Garnier. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Casino de Monte-Carlo The idea of opening a gambling casino in Monaco belongs to Princess Caroline, a shrewd, business-minded spouse of Prince Florestan I. Revenues from the proposed venture were supposed to save the House of Grimaldi from bankruptcy. The casino had been moved several times, until it finally ended up in the area called Les Spelugues (English: The Caves). Construction at this site began on 13 May 1858 to designs of the Parisian architect Gobineau de la Bretonnerie and was completed in 1863. Gobineau de la Bretonnerie also designed the neighboring Hôtel de Paris (constructed in 1862). Although the casino began to make a profit in 1859, Daval was not up to the task. Just like his predecessors, he was incompetent and lacked the ability to bring the gambling enterprise to the scale envisioned by Princess Caroline. Frustrated, she dispatched her private secretary M. Eyneaud to Germany, hoping to recruit François Blanc, a French entrepreneur and operator of the Bad Homburg casino. Blanc declined the offer. It took a lot of time and persuasion on the part of Princess Caroline to convince the Blancs to move to Monaco. In 1878–79, the casino building was transformed and expanded to designs of Jules Dutrou (1819–1885) and Charles Garnier, the architect who had designed the Paris opera house now known as the Palais Garnier. In 1880–81, the casino was expanded again, to the east of Dutrou's Moorish Room, by the addition of the Trente-Quarante Gaming Room, also designed by Garnier. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Casino de Monte-Carlo The idea of opening a gambling casino in Monaco belongs to Princess Caroline, a shrewd, business-minded spouse of Prince Florestan I. Revenues from the proposed venture were supposed to save the House of Grimaldi from bankruptcy. The casino had been moved several times, until it finally ended up in the area called Les Spelugues (English: The Caves). Construction at this site began on 13 May 1858 to designs of the Parisian architect Gobineau de la Bretonnerie and was completed in 1863. Gobineau de la Bretonnerie also designed the neighboring Hôtel de Paris (constructed in 1862). Although the casino began to make a profit in 1859, Daval was not up to the task. Just like his predecessors, he was incompetent and lacked the ability to bring the gambling enterprise to the scale envisioned by Princess Caroline. Frustrated, she dispatched her private secretary M. Eyneaud to Germany, hoping to recruit François Blanc, a French entrepreneur and operator of the Bad Homburg casino. Blanc declined the offer. It took a lot of time and persuasion on the part of Princess Caroline to convince the Blancs to move to Monaco. In 1878–79, the casino building was transformed and expanded to designs of Jules Dutrou (1819–1885) and Charles Garnier, the architect who had designed the Paris opera house now known as the Palais Garnier. In 1880–81, the casino was expanded again, to the east of Dutrou's Moorish Room, by the addition of the Trente-Quarante Gaming Room, also designed by Garnier. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko
Sky Mirror Sky Mirror by Anish Kapoor, 1999. The Casino is in the background. This is Place du Casino. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Fountain Fountain located in Jardins du Casino : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Casino de Monte-Carlo An angel playing harp, a wall decoration at the Casino. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Hector Berlioz This monument was erected in March 1903 to mark the centenary of Berlioz’s birth. He was a famous French composer. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko
Strange-shaped house A triangular house : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko Endless stairs These stairs seemed to continue forever, especially when it was around 30 degrees. : 2009, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Välimeri, kaupunki, loma, meri, rannikko