Monaco Areas
When you’re looking at a map of Monaco you may be surprised to see so many regions and sub-regions cramped in such a small place. Try to remember that, after all, this is an entire state you’re gazing at and a high measure of administrative depth is quite understandable. And if the multitude of names confuses you, don’t worry, you won’t get lost so easily in such a small place.
Interest Areas
- Monaco Old Town
General info: Monaco-Ville, also known locally as "le rocher" or "the rock", is one of the four traditional quartiers or quarters of Monaco, the others being La Condamine and Fontvieille. Monaco-Ville is an old fortified town - some of the city walls still remain - and is situated on a rocky promontory that extends into the Mediterranean Sea. The ancient name for Monaco-Ville is Monoecus.
Attractions include: the Prince’s Palace, Saint Nicholas Cathedral, and the Oceanographic Museum
- Monaco Entertainment Area
General info: Monte Carlo is the wealthiest of Monaco’s various administrative areas, sometimes erroneously believed to be the country’s capital, even though there formally is none. Monte Carlo is known for its casinos, gambling, glamour, and for sightings of famous people. The permanent population is about 3000. The Monte Carlo quarter also includes the neighborhoods of Saint Michel, Saint Roman/Tenao, and the beach community of Larvotto.
Attractions include: Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo Casino
Administrative Areas
The three municipalities (Monaco-Ville, Monte Carlo, La Condamine) were merged into one in 1917 (after accusations that the government was acting according to the motto "divide and conquer"), and they had the status of wards (quartiers) thereafter:
- Fontvieille was added as fourth ward, a newly constructed area reclaimed from the sea (in the 1970s)
- Moneghetti became the fifth ward, created from a part of La Condamine
- Larvotto became the sixth ward, created from a part of Monte Carlo
- La Rousse / Saint Roman (including Le Ténao) became the seventh ward, also created from a part of Monte Carlo
Subsequently, three additional wards were created:
- Saint Michel, from a part of Monte Carlo
- La Colle, from a part of La Condamine
- Les Révoires, from a part of La Condamine
The additional ward of Le Portier is planned by new land reclamation, to be settled from 2014.
Currently the principality is subdivided into 10 wards:
- Monaco-Ville (Old City with palace)
- Monte Carlo / Spélugues - Bd. Des Moulins-Av. de la Madone (the casino and resort area)
- La Rousse / Saint Roman – Annonciade - Château Périgord (in the northeast, including Le Ténao)
- Larvotto / Bas Moulins - Larvotto-Bd Psse Grace (eastern beach area)
- Saint Michel - Psse Charlotte-Park Palace (central residential area)
- La Condamine (port area in the northwest)
- La Colle - Plati-Pasteur-Bd Charles III (on the western border with Cap d’Ail)
- Les Révoires - Hector Otto-Honoré Labande (containing the Jardin Exotique)
- Moneghetti / Bd de Belgique - Bd Rainier III-Bd de Belgique (new land reclaimed from the sea)
- Fontvieille (started 1971)
- Le Portier (planned for 2014)
For statistical purposes, the wards of Monaco are further subdivided into 173 city blocks (îlots), which are comparable to the census blocks in the United States.