Photo : Pufacz / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Palais princier de Monaco
The Prince's Palace of Monaco occupies the Rock, the promontory that was the first core of the town. In 1191, the Republic of Genoa established a fortress there, whose citadel was begun from 1215. The Grimaldi family have lived there since 1297, when François Grimaldi seized the place, according to a legend that historians debate.
Originally a fortress, the building was transformed over the centuries into a palace, with loggias, the Hercules gallery and the Throne Room. Its style remains rather sober, since defensive function long prevailed. The Court of Honour has hosted open-air concerts since 1960, and sixteenth-century frescoes were rediscovered there in the late 2010s. The Prince's carabinieri provide the guard and the changing of the guard on Place du Palais. The palace is the official residence of Prince Albert II and the seat of government; part of it can be visited.
