ancient princely family
The best museum of Monaco (part 2)
After the death of Albert I, the museum went dead, because the sea was not at all interested in the new owner of the rock of Monaco. Inflation, which swept Europe after the First World War, devalued the amounts allocated by Albert to support the Museum and implement research programs. The scientific laboratories were empty, the Yrondel II yacht was sold and effectively blown up during filming.
A new world war and a new post-war round of inflation put the museum on the brink of closure. After the war, tourism made a miracle: the Oceanographic Museum became the only scientific institution in the world that could exist entirely on the funds received from the sale of tickets. Continue reading
The most famous mile in the world
The Principality of Monaco is just 1.95 km2 and it is without a doubt the most famous square mile on the planet. Situated on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, at the southern border of France, the tiny principality seemed to win the heavenly lottery – there is simply no better place for an elite European holiday. The beautiful sea, the sun shines 300 days a year, a minimum of cloudy weather, mild climate, a stone’s throw from French and Italian attractions, and the principality itself is literally crammed with monuments of architecture and culture. Here, even restaurants and casinos have such a celebrity-rich history that they have long become cultural objects of the first magnitude.
The Principality is not an independent state, but a protectorate, and formally belongs to its closest neighbor, France. Continue reading
Sardinian protectorate
An agreement between Monaco and Sardinian King Victor Emmanuel I was signed at Stupinigi on November 8, 1817. It was much less favorable for the principality than the treaty with France that was in force before the French Revolution. The finances of the principality were in miserable condition, the country’s resources were reduced, and the communes, parishes and hospitals owed large sums of money.
Coat of arms of the Sardinian king Victor Emanuel I. After the death of Honore IV, power passed to his son Honore V (1819–1841), to whom Napoleon in 1810 appropriated the title of baron, and the Restoration regime became the peer of France. The new prince took measures to overcome the crisis.However, his tough policy met with dissatisfaction of the population and protests, especially in 1833 in Menton. After the death of Honore V, power passed to his brother, Florestan I (1841–1856), a great admirer of literature and theater, completely unprepared for government. Continue reading
