To Understand Monaco, Start at Its Heart
- Jul 1
- 3 min read
A new heritage initiative invites residents and visitors to discover the Principality beyond its postcard image.
For many around the world, Monaco is synonymous with Formula 1, luxury yachts and the glamour of Monte-Carlo. Yet behind this global image lies another Principality—one built on more than 700 years of history, where every street, façade and public square tells part of a much larger story.
This summer, the Government of Monaco invites residents and visitors alike to discover that story through "Au Cœur de Monaco", a new programme of heritage walks organised by the Direction des Affaires Culturelles and the Institut du Patrimoine. Running every Wednesday from 1 July to 19 August, the pilot season features eight guided visits, each lasting two hours and limited to 15 participants, encouraging a slower, more intimate way of experiencing the Principality.
Every Building Has a Story
Opening the presentation, Françoise Gamerdinger, Director of Cultural Affairs, reminded journalists that heritage is much more than architecture.
« Every building is connected to the story of our country. »
It is this philosophy that shapes the programme's two inaugural routes.
One leads visitors through the medieval streets of Monaco-Ville, tracing the origins of the Grimaldi dynasty and revealing details often overlooked even by residents. The second connects Monte-Carlo with Mareterra, linking the birth of modern Monaco in the nineteenth century with its newest urban district.
Heritage Doesn't End with History
Perhaps the most unexpected decision was to include Mareterra alongside the historic Rock.
For Célia Bernasconi, Director of the Institut du Patrimoine, this reflects a broader understanding of heritage.
« Heritage doesn't stop at the medieval walls—it also includes the architecture we create today."»
In other words, today's achievements are tomorrow's heritage.
Covering six hectares, Mareterra is presented not simply as a luxury development but as an example of contemporary urban planning. Half of the district has been dedicated to publicly accessible spaces, while every component was transported by sea rather than by road during construction—an engineering choice that distinguishes it from earlier land reclamation projects.
The organisers also highlighted an often-overlooked environmental fact: while the European average stands at 13.09 square metres of green space per inhabitant, Monaco requires that at least 30% of every new development be dedicated to green areas—a principle reflected throughout Mareterra.
Unlike traditional sightseeing tours, these visits are designed to encourage observation rather than consumption.
As Bernasconi explained,
« At the Heart of Monaco is about taking the time to wander, to look up, and to uncover the stories hidden in plain sight. »
Visitors will discover hidden courtyards, medieval passages, architectural details and forgotten stories—including the fact that until 1837, the gates of Monaco-Ville closed every evening from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m., turning the Rock into a true fortified peninsula.
The project is equally an investment in Monaco's future.
Children under 12 years old can join the tours free of charge, and Wednesday afternoons were chosen specifically to encourage families to participate together.
As Bernasconi observed,
« Our ambition is to show that heritage is not only about the past—it belongs to young people, because it is being created today and must be cared for if it is to endure tomorrow. »
For the Government, heritage is not reserved for historians; it is something to be discovered, understood and eventually protected by those who will shape Monaco's future.
One of the heritage guides offered perhaps the clearest explanation of why these visits matter.
International headlines often focus on record-breaking property sales or luxury lifestyles. Yet, he argued, Monaco deserves to be understood through another lens—its architecture, its culture, its engineering achievements and the everyday stories that have shaped the Principality for more than seven centuries.
That ambition is perhaps best summarised by the sentence:
« Today's creations are tomorrow's heritage. »
In Monaco, heritage is no longer seen simply as something inherited from the past. It is also something being created in the present—for future generations to discover.
