Prince's Palace of Monaco
The Prince’s Palace of Monaco is the official home of Monaco’s Sovereign Prince. It began in 1191 on the Rock of Monaco as a Genoese fortress. In 1297 the powerful Grimaldi family seized it and made it their home for centuries.
Over time the fortress grew into a palace. Its architecture mixes old towers with Renaissance-style façades. Inside, the state rooms were built and refined from the 16th to the 18th centuries, including the Mirror Gallery and the grand Throne Room.
Monaco’s fortunes changed many times. In the late 18th century, during the French Revolution, Monaco was taken by France and the palace was looted. The Grimaldi family were exiled for a while. When Monaco was restored in 1814, the palace began a long period of restoration and growth in the 19th century, adding features inspired by French palaces, such as a dramatic entrance arch and a grand staircase.
In the 20th century, the palace was restored again and became the heart of a modern Monaco. The era of Grace Kelly, who married Prince Rainier III in 1956, brought glamour to the palace. Rainier III also modernized Monaco, turning public policy and the economy toward new industries while keeping the palace as its symbol.
Today the palace is still the home of Prince Albert II. The state rooms are open to the public in summer, and the courtyard hosts concerts and important ceremonies. Guard sentries stand at the entrance, reminding visitors that it is a working palace as well as a historic site.
The Prince’s Palace reflects Monaco’s history: a small fortress that grew into a symbol of the ruling Grimaldi family and the nation’s identity for more than seven centuries.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 20:40 (CET).