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Monaco's Top 6 Landmark Buildings

by Milena Radoman
While Monaco is often associated with its Palace, Casino and luxury hotels, there are many other
buildings that provide an insight into the country's architectural and urban DNA.

© Direction de la communication

1- The Oceanographic Museum: a technical 1970s, megastructures are very large-scale high Spélugues complex is an imposing
feat structures that accommodate a multiplicity road tunnel made famous by the Monaco
"This building is breathtaking. It seems to blend of uses and functions, adapting to topology Grand Prix. For this complex, architect
into the cliff. The Oceanographic Museum and road infrastructures”, Jean-Philippe Jean Ginsberg used hexagonal shapes
has undeniable visual qualities, but this Hugron explains. The Spélugues complex that he repeated and combined”. The
neoclassical structure built into the side of a comprises an international convention building is both functional and habitable,
cliff is above all a true expression of the lack centre (with a 1,300-seat auditorium), a with roads built into its structure. “Before
of space in Monaco", according to journalist casino, a luxury hotel with 650 rooms and this complex, it was inconceivable that a
Jean-Philippe Hugron, who recalls the desire suites and a complex of 150 flats. “All of road could pass through a building! Built
to bring together four powers on the Rock this had to fit on a narrow strip of land at the base edge of the Rock, it is a sort
of Monaco: the princely power, the judicial 500 metres long. To compensate for this of extension into the sea. Victor Vasarely
power, the religious power and the cultural difficult situation, a large concrete platform conceived the ‘‘Hexagrace - Sky, Sea, Land’’
and scientific power. with a surface area of 2.5 hectares was site - visible from the Casino gardens - in
Construction of the building, which began in created; its pilings plunge directly into the honour of the name of Princess Grace, wife
1899, was a real feat of engineering. The site Mediterranean Sea. Behind the 35-metre of Prince Rainier III”.
chosen, a real counterweight to the Prince's
Palace, seemed unusable. Architect Paul
Delefortrie designed a monumental sub-base
starting just above sea level. Designed in a neo-
Gothic style, it is remarkable for its ambitious
location, anchoring itself majestically on the
steep slope of the Rock of Monaco, as well
as for its impressive dimensions - 100 metres
long and more than 85 metres high, and for the
premium materials used: white stone from La
Turbie and limestone from Brescia. Sculptures
by Gustave Dussart adorn the façade, adding
an artistic touch to this scientific monument.

2- The Spélugues complex: a discreet © Direction de la communication
megastructure
“This is one of the rare examples in Europe
of what is known as a megastructure. Construction du Centre des congrés auditorium, Monte-Carlo - 1974
Invented by architects at the end of the Construction of the Auditorium Congress Center, Monte-Carlo - 1974

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